Armenia

Border Incidents

On March 5, the Armenian Ministry of Defense refuted a claim by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense, which alleged that Armenian Armed Forces units had opened fire on Azerbaijani combat positions in the southeastern part of the border on March 4 at approximately 10:05 p.m.

The Armenian Prime Minister's Office had previously proposed the creation of a joint Armenian-Azerbaijani mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations and related incidents, but Azerbaijan had not yet responded to this proposal.

Armenia and the Netherlands Discuss Defense Cooperation

On March 6, Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan met with Marieke Harriet Monroy-Winter, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Armenia, and Lieutenant Colonel Erik van Vuuren, the Dutch Defense Attaché.

The meeting focused on potential areas of defense cooperation between Armenia and the Netherlands, particularly in the context of agreements made during the February 15 meeting in Munich between Papikyan and Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans.

The parties also discussed regional and international security issues.

Suren Papikyan Attends 2024 Military Prosecutor’s Office Summary

On March 7, Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan participated in a meeting summarizing the activities of the military prosecutor's office for 2024.

Both Minister Papikyan and Prosecutor General Anna Vardapetyan delivered opening speeches. Vardapetyan expressed gratitude to Papikyan for attending, hoping that the issues raised during the briefing and their proposed solutions would be beneficial for both sides.

Minister Papikyan emphasized the importance of continued cooperation in building a more disciplined army based on charter relations.

During the meeting, Grigor Elizbaryan, the Military Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor General, presented a report on the activities of the military prosecutor’s office in 2024. At the conclusion of the discussion, the Minister of Defense and the Prosecutor General addressed key issues and explored future prospects for cooperation.

Azerbaijan

Border Incidents

On March 4, at approximately 10:05 p.m. local time, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense reported that Armenian armed forces units stationed near the Khanazakh settlement in the Gorus region had opened fire on Azerbaijan Army positions using small arms.

Local Military Exercise

On March 6, Azerbaijan launched a training session for a group of reservists, called from the reserve as part of joint actions with the State Service for Mobilization and Conscription.

The reservists, after undergoing registration and medical examinations, were provided with military uniforms and other necessary supplies.

During the session, they:

• Participated in informational briefings.
• Received safety instructions.
• Engaged in drill training.
• Conducted combat training exercises on the training range.
• Improved their practical skills and overall military knowledge.

Georgia

No significant military developments were reported by the Georgian authorities during this period.