YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian authorities realize very well that the Azerbaijani dictatorship could start military operations in the direction of the state border of the Republic of Armenia and make different provocations to completely destabilize the situation in the region, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an address amid the Azerbaijani attack on Artsakh.

“This is the reason why at the government’s decision martial law and general mobilization is declared in the Republic of Armenia. I am drawing the attention of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries and the entire international community on the seriousness of the situation. The outbreak of a large-scale war in South Caucasus, the brink of which we are standing now, could have the most unpredictable consequences. It could go out of the region’s borders and take wider volumes and threaten international security and stability,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan called on the international community to utilize all levers of influence to refrain Turkey from possible interferences, which would totally destabilize the situation in the region.

“Turkey’s aggressive behavior, which had a very dangerous manifestation especially during the July events and continues up to this day, causes serious concern. The fact that Turkey is maintaining such dangerous behavior is fraught with the most devastating consequences for South Caucasus and adjacent regions. The international community must prevent with united efforts the dangerous development of events and refrain the region from all attempts of destabilization,” Pashinyan said.

In the early morning of September 27, the Azerbaijani military launched a massive attack on Artsakh using air force, missiles and tanks.  The Azerbaijani artillery strikes targeted civilian settlements, including Stepanakert city, which resulted in several civilians being killed. Schools were also bombed.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan