On May 17, the Armenian Defense Ministry reported that an Armenian soldier was fatally wounded in what they called a new truce violation by Azerbaijani forces along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The soldier died while being transported to a hospital in Armenia’s Gegharkunik province. The Defense Ministry further stated that Azerbaijani forces also targeted the ambulance carrying the soldier, injuring a paramedic. 

According to the ministry statement, the incident occurred near the Armenian border village of Sotk. While the Azerbaijani military denies the incident, this area recently witnessed intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces. The clashes, involving artillery and combat drones, took place last week, resulting in casualties.

The recent ceasefire violation at that border section occurred three days after peace talks in Brussels between Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, which the European Union mediated.

Referring to the latest ceasefire violations in Sotk, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian foreign ministry, stated during Wednesday’s press briefing: “Currently, the situation has stabilized. We call on the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides to refrain from provocative actions and escalating the situation. And we [Russia] believe that the solution of all controversial issues should take place through political and diplomatic means. We intend to contribute to it in every possible way, including during the tripartite meeting scheduled for May 19 in Moscow.”