Reports about partial withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Karabakh

There are reports that parts of the Russian military presence in Karabakh are being withdrawn. According to several Azerbaijani social media sites, Russia has relocated some of its troops from Karabakh to Ukraine (or to its military base in Armenia so that the 102nd Russian Military Unit can be sent to Ukraine).

In Karabakh, the Russian forces rotate once every six months (November-May). The troops' departure is not a "typical" rotating procedure.

Adalat Verdiyev, an Azerbaijani military expert, said that he had heard of Russian peacekeepers leaving Azerbaijan but did not know whether those forces were peacekeepers or humanitarian members in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Adalat Verdiyev believes that Russia's need for manpower in the war in Ukraine may lead it to the withdraw its professional army in Nagorno-Karabakh. On the other hand, the expert believes that Azerbaijan's dissatisfaction with the activities of peacekeepers could lead to such a step. "Azerbaijan is dissatisfied with the inability of peacekeepers to maintain a ceasefire in the region."

However, Adalat Verdiyev added that this does not mean that Russian peacekeepers will leave the country completely.

Earlier, Azerbaijan reacted harshly to the Russian official's use of the term "Nagorno-Karabakh" and warned that such statements could "damage" Azerbaijani-Russian relations and escalate tensions along Azerbaijani territories where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed.

On the eve of the warning, several articles published in the media close to the Azerbaijani authorities described Russian peacekeepers Andrei Volkov as an "open supporter" of the Armenian military units in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijani Defence Ministry: Azerbaijan Army forces are under fire from the Khojaly and Goranboy areas

Members of illegal Armenian armed detachments in Azerbaijan's territory, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily stationed, used various calibre weapons to fire on Azerbaijan Army positions in Khojaly and Goranboy districts from the afternoon of March 8 to the morning of March 9, according to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence.

"The Azerbaijan Army troops stationed in these directions took appropriate reaction measures. The situation in these directions is currently steady, and Azerbaijan Army forces have total operational control. We stress that the Azerbaijan Army does not attack civilian infrastructure, but solely hits unlawful Armenian military detachments' locations," the ministry added.

The latest reports from Baku claim that Armenian military units opened fire on Azerbaijani positions in the eastern direction of the line of contact are "false and have nothing to do with reality," the Ministry of Defence of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) stated. “In fact, it was the Azerbaijani armed forces who periodically violated the ceasefire in the indicated direction, the relevant information was presented to the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent,” the report says.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani armed forces again shelled the Khramort village in the Askeran region of separatist Nagorno-Karabakh, the press service of the army of the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) reported on March 9. According to the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh side, the Azerbaijani military used mortars. “The Azerbaijani Armed Forces fired three shells from 60 mm mortars. There were no casualties from the shooting.” The command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent has been notified of the violation of the ceasefire regime. Now, the situation on the line of contact is calm, the military department noted.

Sergeant killed after skirmishes on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan

According to the Armenian Ministry of Defence, Azerbaijani sniper units opened fire on Armenian military positions stationed in the western sector of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border wounding two Armenian armed forces members.

Sergeant Hrach Manasaryan, a contract soldier, died on the route to the hospital, according to the Armenian Ministry of Defence.

The second wounded soldier's injuries are not life-threatening.

Aliyev says he is ready to start peace talks with Armenia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed his willingness to begin negotiations on a peace agreement with Armenia in a message to French President Emmanuel Macron on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but only on the basis of basic international principles such as territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the inviolability of internationally recognised borders.

"We hope that France would promote a peaceful agenda in the area," Aliyev stated, according to Azerbaijani media. "We emphasise the necessity of Armenia displaying a positive posture on this subject."