MOSCOW (TASS)—Supplies of Russian weapons to Armenia and Azerbaijan form a balance securing the region from military escalation, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Monday, TASS reports.
“When we supply weapons to Armenia and Azerbaijan, we are sure there is certain balance and this balance is a deterring factor keeping the conflict from growing into warfare. As soon as we go away from there, as soon as we stop being a military technical partner of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, guys who are more ‘sophisticated’ in politics will immediately show up there and will stage a real bloodbath there,” Rogozin said in an interview with the Ekho Moskvy radio station.
“It is not weapons that shoot, it is people who shoot,” he said, adding that the demagogy over this issue arousing after the aggravation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is regrettable.
“Let us imagine we are scaling down military technical cooperation with any of these countries, the Americans and NATO will get there immediately,” he noted.”
It has become ever clearer that it is necessary to finally settle the so-called frozen conflicts as they occasionally get unfrozen,” Rogozin said when asked which conclusions could be drawn after the latest aggravation in Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to the Russian deputy prime minister, shooting is reported along the line of contact every day. “Apparently, this burst of violence stemmed from this routine bloodshed,” he said, adding that it is necessary to get back to the peace process.
The agreement on ceasefire reached between the parties was mostly observed last night, NKR Defense Ministry reports.
Use of weapons of different caliber and mortars was registered some sections of the line of contact. In particular, the Azerbaijani side used 82 and 60 mm mortars and HAN-17 grenade launchers in the northeastern (Martakert) and southeastern (Hadrut) directions.
The rival also used drones in the southern, eastern and northern directions of the line of contact. The font divisions of the NKR Defense Amy closely followed the actions of the rival and resorted to corresponding steps, when necessary.
Nonsense! Let there be an arms race. As long as you supply your true ally, who cares where the enemy gets its weapons from. The outcome will be the same since a stand off will be created. But of course, and unless, if Russia is more interested in the money from the sales or is afraid to go against US made weapons. In either case, there is something rotten when your supposed ally and protector sells 4 billion dollars worth of firepower to your enemy.
Oh, so according to Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are BOTH allies of Russia?
Who knew?
The Russians think we, the Armenians, are stupid, and therefore our ally decides how many and what kind Weaponries we need. Azerbaijan is armed with billions of dollars Russian, Israeli, Turkish, American and other countries’ armaments.
Russian behaviour in regards to the latest Azeri offensive clarifies one thing: It is Russia- not Turkey – that seems to have instigated Azerbaijan to attack Artsakh. The insulting behaviour of Russia towards Armenia can only mean one thing: Our brave soldiers toppled plans to change the situation on the ground. Armenia must – without delay – understand that much forceful “second try” is going to be unleashed upon Artsakh until the sinister plans devised in Kremlin come to fruition.
Let’s not forget that the Azeri OMON who attacked Shahumian, Kedashen and Martunashen was led by the SOviet army stationed outside Shahumian. Let’s also remember the virulent anti-Armenian insulting commentaries by the military and political leadership in the Kremlin at the time. In 1991, Internal Affairs Minister Boris Pugo and KGB chief Vladimir Kryuchlov, along with other anti-Gorbachev Putschists helped the Azeri OMON to attack, kill and deport the entire population of these Armenian cities. Now it seems like the Armenians are witnessing the same type of Russian open anti-Armenian policies.
Russia is bent on controlling Armenia’s destiny, a nation’s destiny controlled by others can only lead to utter destruction.
The US does not sell weapons keeping balanced power between Israel and it’s Arab neighbours, US always keeps the advantage in favour of Israel due to compexity and the population of it’s enemies, the same consideration should be given to the Armenians, the population of Turkey and Azerbaijan is 100 million and Turkey heavily militariazed.
Military balance my ‘behind’; Reports are that Russia provided more advanced weapons to azerbaijan giving them the edge in this skirmish. Did this guy forget that Armenia is their only trusted ally in the region, the azeris basically kicked Russia out of the Kabala military base by reneging on their long term lease. If we are doomed either way, let us teach them a lesson and kick Russia out, then form some sort of symbiotic relationship with the West. Simple minded analysis? Maybe, but let us learn from history.