YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENMPRESS. Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Elena Panina says that the announcement made by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the military operations along the contact line of Artsakh-Nagorno Karabakh only adds fuel to the already hot flame, ARMENPRESS reports Panina said in an interview with Ria Novosti.

‘’Erdoğan is trying to preserve his image of a ‘’strongman’’, but he has to understand that the new war between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not in the interests of any side, including Turkey’s. Isn’t the refugee flow to Turkey from Syria not enough for Erdoğan?’’, she said, adding that in many cases Turkey is responsible for the flow of refugees.

According to Panina, similar announcements pose great danger. She noted that instead of trying to stop the bloodshed, such announcements only add fuel to the fire.

Earlier Turkish president Erdoğan’s had announced that it’s time to put an end to Nagorno Karabakh issue in favor of Azerbaijan, urging the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries not to give him any advice.

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. A mother and her child were killed in Martuni, Artsakh. Many other civilians were wounded. The battles continue.

The Artsakh military said 58 of its soldiers have been killed in the attacks.

According to the military, Azerbaijan has lost more than 200 servicemen, 27 UAVs, 4 helicopters, 46 tanks and armored personnel carriers and other armored equipment. Armenia also has captured 11 armored vehicles with full ammunition from Azerbaijani troops.

Editing and Translating by Tigran Sirekanyan