Caucasian Knot | Military experts exclude Russia’s interference in Armenian-Azerbaijani border conflict

The priorities of Russian foreign policy are outside Southern Caucasus, therefore, Moscow will ignore Yerevan's call to place Russian military posts on the Azerbaijani border, experts have noted. Neither party is interested in the war, political analysts believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 28, local hostilities broke out on the border of the Gegarkunik Region of Armenia with Azerbaijan. There are wounded servicemen on both sides; and three Armenian soldiers perished. On July 28, the parties, mediated by Russia, agreed on a ceasefire, but on Thursday (July 29), they blamed each other of violating the ceasefire. Nikol Pashinyan, the Acting Armenian Prime Minister, asked Russia to create its military posts on the problematic border section.

Russia will not take part in the conflict and ignore Pashinyan's appeal, Pavel Felgengauer, an observer for the "Novaya Gazeta", believes. According to his version, Russia has other priorities – Ukraine, Afghanistan and the NATO.

The current aggravation on the border is not beneficial for Azerbaijan, Alexander Perendjiev, a military political analyst, has noted.

According to Alexander Iskandaryan, a political analyst, the presence of Russian contingent is a deterrent, while a large-scale war is possible only if Pashinyan fails to sign an agreement on the border delimitation and demarcation and a peace treaty.

Meanwhile, Azad Isazade, a former employee of the information and analytical department of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence, believes that the risk of a full-scale war is real. In his opinion, the Azeri society will support the government and the army in case of a new war.