The Armenia defence minister was dismissed on Monday after Yerevan accused neighbouring enemy Azerbaijan of crossing into its territory, Reuters reported. 

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday said that Azerbaijani forces had intruded into the country across an eastern section of the border, the Cabinet of Ministers’ press-service has said. "Since yesterday there have been several meetings and discussions," Pashinyan said at a session of the country’s Security Council. "The issue on the agenda was the intrusion of Azerbaijani forces into Armenia’s territory across an eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The purpose of today’s meeting is to summarize the results of our discussions and to present the full information about the events to our public."

Pashinyan said he had made a decision to dismiss Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan and appoint Deputy Prime Minister Suren Papikyan to perform his duties.

"The decision follows the analysis of events that have been unfolding since yesterday," Pashinyan said. "The current situation as it is, I made a decision the minister must be replaced."

To recall, Azerbaijan has recently described as "military-political provocation" the latest "unauthorised" visit by Armenian Defence Minister Arshak Karapetyan to Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said in a statement that the visit coincided "on purpose" with the anniversary of the signing of the Karabakh armistice agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan with Russia's mediation in November 2020.

"This way the Armenian political-military leadership aims to purposefully cause tension in the region and cast a shadow over the activity of the Russian peacekeepers [deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh] by grossly violating provisions of the trilateral declaration [the Karabakh armistice agreement]," the statement read. "This visit by the Armenian defence minister once again demonstrates that Armenia continues to directly support illegal Armenian armed groups, aggressive separatism and acts of terrorism and sabotage on the territory of the Azerbaijani Republic. At the same time, elements of the Armenian armed forces continue to remain in Azerbaijani territory where Russian peacekeepers have been temporarily deployed."

The statement "warned" Yerevan that in case such visits continued, Azerbaijan would take necessary steps in line with its laws "to prevent aggressive separatism and acts of terrorism and sabotage."

Armenian Defence Minister Arshak Karapetyan paid a working visit to Nagorno-Karabakh on 6-7 November.

The separatist Karabakh government Defence Minister Kamo Vardanyan invited Karapetyan, the report said. Karapetyan visited military bases, met servicemen on combat duty, became acquainted with the fortification of the positions, as well as the social and living conditions of soldiers. Karapetyan also participated in a working meeting of the leadership of the Karabakh defence army, during which several security issues were discussed, the report said.

"Addressing the servicemen guarding the borders of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian defence minister stressed that the most important guarantee of peace is a strong army capable of fulfilling the set combat tasks," the ministry's report said.