Armenia

Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan on Working Visit to South Korea

On September 8, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced that a delegation led by Suren Papikyan, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia, departed for a working visit to the Republic of Korea. 

On September 9, during his visit, Minister Papikyan attended the opening ceremony of the "Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain" summit. This event was organized by the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs of Korea, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Kenya, with the goal of establishing international mechanisms to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in military technology and operations.

On September 10, within the framework of his visit, Minister Papikyan participated in a ministerial working lunch and roundtable discussions. The discussions centered on promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence for military purposes. Additionally, the participants addressed international and regional security challenges and explored ways to enhance both bilateral and multilateral relations. Papikyan met with several counterparts, including Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Korea Shin Won-sik, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Cho Tae-yul, Minister of Defence of Singapore Eng Hen Ng, Minister of Defence of Finland Antti Häkkänen, and other experts.

Suren Papikyan Meets with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Beijing

On September 10, Suren Papikyan arrived in the People's Republic of China for a working visit. 

On September 12, during his visit, Minister Papikyan met with Admiral Dong Jun, the Minister of National Defence of the PRC. The two ministers highlighted the advanced level of relations between their countries, particularly in the defense sector. They noted significant progress in military cooperation and discussed exploring new areas for collaboration. Both parties expressed their commitment to further advancing Armenia-China relations and enhancing high-level interactions between their Armed Forces. The discussions also covered various issues related to international and regional security.

On September 13, Minister Papikyan attended the opening ceremony and plenary session of the 11th Xiangshan Forum in Beijing. The Forum, themed "Promoting Peace for a Shared Future," included four plenary sessions addressing security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, trends in the international order, the development of the Global South, and mechanisms for global peace governance.

Colonel Arsen Mangasaryan Leads Armenian Delegation to French Ministry of Armed Forces

From September 9 to 13, Colonel Arsen Mangasaryan, the head of the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Academy, led a delegation on a visit to the Ministry of Armed Forces of the Republic of France and the Saint-Cyr Military Academy. 

During the visit, the delegation met with representatives from the French Ministry of Foreign Relations and Strategy, General Emmanuel Sharpie, the head of the Saint-Cyr Military Academy, and the administration of Saint-Cyr University. Discussions focused on expanding cooperation, including the exchange of cadets and updates to curricula.

The Armenian delegation toured the facilities of Saint-Cyr Academy and College, gaining insights into the syllabus, educational programs, and the organization of the learning process.

Border Breach Reports

On September 11, the Armenian Defense Ministry refuted a statement from the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan, claiming that at around 10:50 a.m. Armenian Armed Forces fired on Azerbaijani positions in the western part of the border. The Armenian Defense Ministry stated that this allegation was false.

The Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia has suggested creating a joint Armenia-Azerbaijan mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations and related incidents. However, Azerbaijan has not yet responded to this proposal.

On September 12, the Armenian side again disputed a statement from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence, which claimed that between 12:15 a.m. and 1:05 a.m., Armenian Armed Forces fired on Azerbaijani positions in the southwestern part of the border. The Armenian Defense Ministry reiterated that this statement was inaccurate.

Azerbaijan

Eternal Brotherhood – III Special Forces Exercise Kicks Off in Kazakhstan

On September 9, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that the Eternal Brotherhood – III multinational joint special forces exercise commenced in Kazakhstan. The special forces of the Azerbaijan Army are participating in the exercise, which is being held at the Orda training range in the Turkistan region and will continue until September 19.

The opening ceremony took place on September 10, with representatives from the Armed Forces of Jordan and Kyrgyzstan attending as observers. The exercise includes special forces from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, Pakistan, Qatar, and Uzbekistan. Its goals are to enhance operational interoperability, improve practical skills, exchange experiences, and boost professional capabilities.

The exercise features tactical, fire, mountain, parachute, and sniper training. During the final phase, special forces units will conduct a combat training operation aimed at detecting and neutralizing illegal armed groups in a simulated urban environment. Approximately 300 personnel from the six participating countries are involved, with the exercise also utilizing armored vehicles, army aviation, and UAVs.

As of September 12, the Eternal Brotherhood – III exercise continues with practical classes in tactics, fire, sniper, mountain, and parachute training. The combat training scenarios have been adapted to simulate real combat conditions, demonstrating the high professionalism of the special forces as they perform their tasks. The exercise aims to unify efforts to ensure regional peace and security, significantly contributing to the effective accomplishment of interoperability objectives.

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov in Georgia for Trilateral Meeting

On September 9, Azerbaijan's Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, arrived in Georgia to attend the 11th Trilateral Meeting of Defense Ministers from Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye in Batumi. The agenda for the meetings included exploring new perspectives for joint military cooperation in bilateral and trilateral formats, addressing regional security issues, and other mutual interests.

On September 10, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani. Minister Chikovani welcomed the Azerbaijani delegation and emphasized the significance of high-level meetings in enhancing Azerbaijani-Georgian relations. Colonel General Hasanov expressed satisfaction with the visit and noted the continuous development of military ties between the two countries. The meeting focused on expanding military cooperation, increasing joint exercises, and supporting the territorial integrity of both nations. Discussions also covered regional peace and security and opportunities for collaboration in military, military-technical, and military-educational fields.

Later the same day, Colonel General Hasanov met with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler in Batumi. Both ministers highlighted the high level of cooperation and strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, based on friendly relations. They emphasized the value of such meetings for further expanding defense relations and expressed confidence in the continued successful development of cooperation. Topics included increasing joint exercises, regional and global military-political processes, and strategies for maintaining peace and stability.

The trilateral meeting on September 10 included all three defense ministers: Colonel General Hasanov, Minister Güler, and Minister Chikovani. They noted the long-standing good-neighborly relations and ongoing development of mutual ties. The importance of joint efforts to address modern challenges and security threats was emphasized. The meeting underscored the significance of expanding trilateral and bilateral exercises and the mutual benefits of tripartite defense cooperation for regional peace, stability, and security. The meeting concluded with the signing of a protocol and a press conference for media representatives.

Border Breach Reports

On September 11, at approximately 10:50 [local time], the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that Armenian armed forces units fired small arms at Azerbaijani Army positions located in the Heydarabad settlement of the Sadarak region within the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The Azerbaijan Army responded with appropriate retaliatory measures.

On September 12, from 00:15 to 01:05, Armenian armed forces fired several times at Azerbaijani Army positions located in the Yukhari Buzgov settlement of the Babak region within the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Local exercise

On August 13, artillery units conducted an exemplary live-fire tactical exercise. The exercise involved capturing firing positions, preparing artillery weapon systems for combat use, and performing other assigned tasks. In conditions closely simulating real combat, the artillery units successfully detected and destroyed both planned and unplanned targets of an imaginary enemy with precise fire. The focus of the exercise was on fire support group commanders and regulators, emphasizing the accurate determination of target coordinates, correct measurement of distances and angles, and the effective execution of their functional duties during fire control to enhance combat capabilities.

Georgia

No important information was published by the Georgian side during this period.