President of Artsakh hopes Russian peacekeeping presence will be extended indefinitely

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan expressed hope that it will be possible to raise the effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) and ensure its indefinite, termless presence there as the most important guarantee of security of the people of Artsakh.

“Despite the ongoing geopolitical rearrangements in the world and the region and existing challenges, Russia continues to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh, although it is fragile and relatively stable,” the president said in an address to the nation.

“Due to Russia’s preoccupation, the guarantees of the Russian peacekeepers have somewhat fractured, and Azerbaijan is taking advantage of this. On the other hand, all foreign enemy forces are consistently taking military and information provocations to undermine the role of the Russian peacekeepers and develop distrust towards Russia among Artsakhis. I am sure that the people of Artsakh are not giving in to such provocations, with a bright example of this being the special attitude towards the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh,” President Harutyunyan said.