By Ani Avetisyan
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed this week that Russian peacekeepers will be leaving Nagorno-Karabakh.
Peskov reiterated the authenticity of earlier reports in the Azerbaijani media about the withdrawal, although specific details about the timeline and logistics were not provided.
The deployment of the peacekeepers followed a devastating six-week offensive in 2020, during which Azerbaijani forces seized control of large swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. Last September, Baku completed its takeover of the territory in a swift one-day offensive, prompting a mass exodus of the Karabakh population into Armenia.
Azerbaijan, reluctant about the deployment of peacekeepers to the region, did not have the intention to extend the initial five-year term agreed upon in November 2020. According to the Azerbaijani media, the joint Turkish-Russian monitoring center in Aghdam, which was established in November 2020 will also halt its operations.
The Russian peacekeepers remained in the empty region following the ethnic cleansing of Armenians, claiming they would stay until the end of the term in 2025. Moscow stated that the future of the status of the peacekeeping forces was subject to a Russian-Azerbaijani discussion, as Armenia had no more control over the region. Following the ethnic cleansing of Karabakh Armenians, Russian peacekeepers were seen patrolling around the Armenian cultural and religious sites in Karabakh.
The inaction of Russian peacekeepers throughout their nearly three-year mission and, especially during the latest Azerbaijani attack, has further increased the frustration with Russia among the general public, and the government.
Russian peacekeepers remained mild during the several instances of Azerbaijani attacks on Armenian-controlled territories in Karabakh between 2021 and 2023, and did not act against the blockade of the Lachin corridor – the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. The region remained under siege for over nine months, with Russian peacekeepers on the scene. The peacekeeping troops, while allowed by Azerbaijan to use the Lachin corridor, delivered goods to the starving population, demanding expensive fares for each truck. Later, Azerbaijan also blocked the route for Russians, forcing the peacekeepers to use the airspace to receive food for themselves, while the region was getting closer to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has openly criticized Russia for its perceived lack of support in the face of Azerbaijani aggression. Pashinyan recently announced the de facto suspension of Armenia’s participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Russia did not accept any of the accusations from Armenia, blaming Nikol Pashinyan’s recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan for the developments in the region.
The Kremlin dismissed the accusation of the peacekeepers’ inaction, too. Russia accused Armenia of trying to put the responsibility for the Azerbaijani offensive on it to avoid being held accountable.
Armenia is currently hosting several thousand Russian troops and border guards. As the relations between Armenia and Russia worsened, Armenia announced the removal of Russian border troops from the country’s main Yerevan airport.
The West remained mild in its comments regarding the withdrawal of Russian troops from the region, with the Spokesperson of the US Secretary of State Vedant Patel reminding of the ineffectiveness of the Russian troops in the region, saying that it has not supported peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.
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