Moscow demands to immediately withdraw foreign fighters from the zone of the Karabakh conflict. This was reported on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
On October 23, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Oleg Syromolotov held a meeting with Armenian Ambassador Vardan Toganyan. The parties discussed the escalation of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and opposed the involvement of foreign mercenaries in hostilities.
“The unacceptability of the transfer of militants of illegal armed groups from a number of countries of the Middle East and North Africa to the region and the need for their immediate withdrawal from there,” the statement says.
Earlier on October 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin explained Moscow's position on Nagorno-Karabakh. According to him, Moscow takes such a position regarding the conflict in Karabakh, which would make it possible to enjoy the confidence of both sides.
Armed clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) began on September 27. Yerevan and Baku accused each other of escalating the conflict. According to some reports, mercenaries from Syria are participating in the hostilities on the side of Azerbaijan.
In 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh, the majority of whose population were Armenians, declared independence from Azerbaijan. Baku tried to return the region by force, after which a war broke out. In 1994, Azerbaijan, Armenia and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), mediated by Russia, signed a truce protocol, but hostilities are periodically resumed.
