Defense Ministry and experts agree: Azerbaijan creates information trap

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani announcement is an information trap, it doesn’t mean a one sided ceasefire. This was stated by the Press Secretary of the Minister of Defense of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan, commenting on Azerbaijani announcement about the cessation of military operations in Artsakh.

Commenting on the Azerbaijani announcement, political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan noted in an interview with “Armenpress”, that this speaks to the fact that Azerbaijan is unable to continue military operations against Artsakh. According to him, Azerbaijan should ask for a ceasefire from the official Stepanakert, as it failed the attempt to start a war against Artsakh. "Although the Azerbaijani authorities state that they made this decision, heeding international calls, but it is obvious that there were similar calls in the past, but they didn’t respond to them. Now the only reason that could force Azerbaijan to make such a statement is that Azerbaijan suffers enormous losses on the frontline and no longer has the moral and human resources to resist the Artsakh Defense Army, "Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

According to the political analyst, the Azerbaijanis are trying to make their way out of this situation with as much positive results as possible, but in fact, several changes happened in the contact line due to the Azerbaijani offensives and until these changes are clearly eliminated, Azerbaijan cannot make this kind of one sided statements and make its way out of the situation. “The reality is that Azerbaijan has made an attempt to start a war, but failed, and it should ask for the ceasefire from the official Stepanakert and not make such one sided decisions”, he added.

Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements.

According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children.

During the military operations on April 1 and April 2, the Azerbaijani side sustained over 200 causalities.

Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and also make the enemy suffer considerable losses. The Armenian side sustained 18 casualties and 35 wounded.

On April 3, starting from 06:00, the adversary continued aggressive military operations by using missile-artillery systems and armored vehicles.

The Defense Army undertook counteroffensive measures and dominated the strategic base in the direction of Talish, which was earlier occupied by Azerbaijani forces. By withstanding the enemy’s artillery and rocket attacks, the Defense Army units destroyed 2 enemy tanks and 1 battle vehicle.

The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions between April and November, 1993, calling for “effective and permanent” ceasefire, as well as “immediate implementation of the reciprocal and urgent steps” in that direction. Armenia has been under effective land blockade not only by Azerbaijan since the early days of fighting in Nagorno Karabakh, but also by Turkey – a staunch ally of Azerbaijan and a NATO member -- since April 1993.