The Russian foreign ministry, in a statement released today, says that recent criticism emanating from Yerevan that Russian peacekeepers aren’t doing enough to prevent Azerbaijani aggression in Karabakh is “unjustified”.

On August 4, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan publicly questioned the effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Karabakh following clashes with Azerbaijani troops along the Line of Contact.

At a press briefing today, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Ivan Nechaev said that Russian peacekeepers are taking steps to stabilize the situation in the region and that Baku and Yerevan have repeatedly noted the important role of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

“Russia is in constant contact with the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides both at the highest level and through the ministry of defense, the foreign ministry and other Russian departments," Nechaev said.

Pashinyan, at a cabinet session on August 4, said that recent clashes on the Line of Contact, the capture of several Armenian villages and soldiers in Karabakh in full view of Russian peacekeepers have raised legitimate concerns about the role of the peacekeepers.

“The continuous and deteriorating ceasefire regime, continuing violations along the contact line, and cases of physically and psychologically terrorizing the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in the presence of the peacekeepers are simply unacceptable,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan called for a review of the details of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Karabakh, adding that Baku has never signed off on any mandate allowing the mission.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded to Pashinyan's statement, noting that Russia has not yet received specific proposals from Armenia regarding the Russian peacekeeping mission stationed in Karabakh. "

In response, the Armenian foreign ministry said it presented proposals on increasing the effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping mission in February 2021.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Yevgeny Odinokov