LIVE: Azerbaijan launched an attack on Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic)

• Azerbaijan launched a large scale attack on Artsakh
• At least 40 civilian casualties, 2 of them children, confirmed in Artsakh and Armenia
• Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan “Nothing, no circumstance can stop us in our defense of the Artsakh people’s rights and their freedom”
• The President of Artsakh Republic "It’s not Azerbaijan fighting with us, it’s Turkey"
• Armenian side confirms in total 1222 military casualties / Azerbaijan has more than 7000 casualties
• President Armen Sargsyan​ "We can not allow the return of the ghost of the Ottoman Empire"
• Turkey directly attacks Armenia in the Armenian airspace. An Armenian plane downed, the pilot is dead.
• French President Emmanuel Macron: "We will not allow it. I clearly tell Armenia, the Armenian people, France will play its role, we will be vigilant in respecting the families, the people, the sovereignty", "Turkey's political statements on the Karabakh conflict as dangerous and ill-considered"
• "We aim to establish lasting peace and stability in the region. We do not want this situation to happen again in 2-3 years" [Nikol Pashinyan]
• France, Russia and USA confirmed that Syrian militants from Turkey are taking part in hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh on the side of Azerbaijan
• Towns and other settlements in Artsakh, inlcuding the capital Stepanakert are countiniously shelled by Grad and Smertch stations, UAVs and planes.
• Stepanakert calls on the international community to recognize Artsakh's independence
• Canada suspends arms exports to Turkey as the country's technology is used in Nagorno-Karabakh
• Azeri President "ready to return to Karabakh peace talks"
• Humanitarian ceasefire agreed starting from 12:00 October 10
• Ceasefire repeatedly violated by the Azerbaijani side
• New ceasefire agreed as of  October 18th, 00h00
• The new ceasfire violated 4 minutes after the start  by the Azerbaijani side
• Resolutions recognizing Artsakh's independence introduced in the US Congress and French Parliament 
• According to the US State Department, official Yerevan and Baku have agreed to establish a humanitarian ceasefire, which will take effect on October 26 at 8 am local time
• The US brokered ceasefire violated by Azerbaijan after 45 minutes
• RUSSAIN MEDIATED CEASEFIRE POSSIBLY ENDS THE WAR BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARTSAKH

 

 

November 10 / Day 45

 

11։00 "I wish I had not woken up yesterday․" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10:00 RUSSAIN MEDIATED CEASEFIRE POSSIBLY ENDS THE WAR BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARTSAKH


November 9 / Day 44

 

19:45 Currently, fighting is ongoing in the direction of Shushi of the Artsakh Republic. Shushi been and will be Armenian. It is time to make a breakthrough. [Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mailyan]

19:15 "The battle for Shushi continues." [Nikol Pashinyan]

19:10 "Dear compatriots!
The hostilities continue throughout the Republic. The Defense Army stands firmly on our soil, we will fight against the enemy until the end.
Our united struggle can change the situation, we can throw the enemy out of our Artsakh, because the outcome of the war will be decided by the strong will of our people. The Armenian people can still show that will and determination. Each of us must stand firm in our positions and a positive result will be guaranteed.
I believe." [Arayik Harutyunyan]

17։10 France's largest news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) did not publish an interview with Azerbaijani Ambassador to the country Rahman Mustafayev, the reason being Ambassador's allegations that could not be independently verified.

"Shame on AFP reporter Didier Lauras, who refused to publish my interview. "Shame on Le Figaro, the other media outlets that have repeatedly refused to give us a platform, to publish our articles," Mustafayev wrote in twitter, mocking French freedom of speech.

17։00 "The enemy's attack on Karmir Shuka at 14:20 was stopped. Fighting continues in the south-eastern direction. 3 enemy UAVs were shot down." [Shushan Stepanyan]

16:00 Comment by the Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia on the statements made by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in the interview to the BBC News Agency

In this interview Ilham Aliyev confirms the absence of any justification of deliberate targeting of the civilian population and civilian infrastructure of Stepanakert and other peaceful settlements in Artsakh, which have been documented by many eminent international media outlets and human rights watchdogs.   

Realizing that sooner or later he will bear the responsibility for the war crimes he has committed, Ilham Aliyev made a desperate attempt to deny the truth, by labelling it “fake news.”

This statement by Ilham Aliyev full of hatred, voiced out amid the continuous targeting of the civilian infrastructure of Artsakh by the Azerbaijani armed forces under his command, once again proves that under no circumstances the people of Artsakh can be put within Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction.

  

11:00 "Fighting continues near Shushi. Defense Army units successfully perform their tasks, depriving the enemy of initiative." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10:25 Defense Army has released the names of another 44 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 1222.

09:15 Besides Stepanakert, the night was relatively calm in other civilian settlements. After midnight, the adversary launched several rockets at Stepanakert, damaging civilian infrastructure. There were no casualties in the capital. It was a relatively calm night in the other settlements of Artsakh.

 

November 8 / Day 43

23:50 "Aliyev goes all-in. Stepanakert understands this and has no plans to surrender. The fate of this war will be decided soon." [wargonzo]

23:00 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Last night and today throughout the day, fighting continued in different directions on the front. The fighting was quite intense.
• In the north, the Azerbaijani troops, mainly with small tactical groups, tried to attack our positions with artillery fire support, but, suffering losses, were repulsed.
• After some success in the direction of Martuni early in the morning, our army managed to stop the enemy and throw them back to their initial positions.
• In the city of Shushi, in the surrounding areas, on the roads leading to Shushi, fierce battles took place throughout the day. Fighting is still going on, although the intensity has significantly decreased.
• The Azerbaijani armed forces have tried several times to break through to Berdzor, probably in order to help their units fighting in Shushi. However, suffering significant losses, they were thrown back, moreover, they fled.
• At the moment the battles are going on, the general situation can be considered quite positive. Our troops manage to prevent the enemy forces from advancing in any direction, but the battles are in progress. The battle for Shushi continues. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

20:00 "Tomorrow the battle for Shushi will be over." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

19:25 The situation in the settlements of Artsakh was stable during the day.

• The calm situation in Stepanakert was maintained until 18:30.
• The city was shelled a little while ago. There is one victim among the civilian population.
• The rescuers of the State Emergency Service provided first aid to the wounded and took him to a medical institution. His life is not in danger.
• In Martakert, the air alarm signal sounded twice a day. The enemy tried to use military aviation on the city.
• The situation in Martuni was tense again. The enemy shelled the civilian infrastructure using the heavy artillery.
• The relatively calm situation has been maintained in Askeran, Kashatagh and Shahumyan regions. [Artsakh State Emergency Service]

19:22 Slightly more intense, but not Shushi level battles are going in the direction of Martuni, where we have launched 1-2 offensive operations and attacks today. There is stability in that part. As for Shushi, fighting is still going on. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

18:25 Shushi is ours. Fighting is taking place only in the vicinity of Shushi. An operation to neutralize the saboteurs is underway. [Mayor of Shushi Artsvik Sargsyan]

18:15 Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu are currently on an official visit to Baku. They met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev and Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov. It should be reminded that Cavusoglu announced a few days ago that Hulusi Akar would soon visit Azerbaijan.

15:30 Shushi is under the control of the Artsakh Defense Army. We declare with full responsibility [t.me/reartsakh]

15:25 At this moment in Shushi there is not even one Azerbaijani saboteur. Only their bodies.
There is a flag found with every Azeri body, without exception. [bagramyan26]

15:05 At around 13:40, the air defense units of the Defense Army hit another enemy Bayraktar in the south-eastern direction. [Shushan Stepanyan]

14:45 The large amount of humanitarian aid collected by the Armenians of Sweden is arranged and ready to be sent to Armenia. A total of 22 tons of goods delivered from all cities - winter clothes, necessary accessories - were sorted and packed in Sodertelier. Clothes were handed over by Swedes, Assyrians, and Syrians. [Armenpress]

14:35 Today, November 8, at 22:00 local time (19:00 European time), a pan-European online fundraiser will take place, which will be broadcasted via the Facebook page of the Fund's Netherlands affiliate (Armeniefonds Nederland) and Public Television (First Channel) pages.
Let's support our homeland together. Join the Pan-Armenian Movement and make your donation now:
www.himnadram.org
PayPal recipient: info@armeniafund.org
[Hayastan All Armenian Fund]

12:30 "Heavy and decisive battles ongoing for Shushi, victory for our heroes." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10։30 On the night of November 7-8, the battles with variable intensity continued in all directions of the front line.

• The most intensive fighting was registered around Shushi, as well as in the south-eastern direction. The units of the Defense Army inflicted targeted blows to the enemy, repelling multiple attempts to advance.
• During the battles in different directions, a large number of enemy troops, 4 tanks, 20 units of other armored vehicles, 11 units of vehicles, 2 ATS were destroyed.
• In parallel with the hostilities, the enemy also targeted the capital Stepanakert and Shushi with missile systems. Civilian infrastructure was damaged.
• At dawn, concentrations of enemy equipment and personnel were observed in the south-eastern and northeastern parts of the front line.
• Army units control the operative-tactical situation․ [Defense Army]

10:00 “Dear compatriots, I met one of the hardest dawns of my life in Stepanakert's Renaissance square...We stand with the defenders of our Motherland till the end. The life and death struggle continues.” [Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan on Facebook]

10:00 Shushi remains the unattainable dream of the enemy. Although there are many destructions in the city, the fortress city withstands the attacks of the enemy. [Artsakh State Emergency Service]

10:00 Overnight the situation was especially tense in Stepanakert. Eight long-range missiles were fired at apartment buildings, residential areas, public facilities and other civilian infrastructures in the city. No casualties have been reported according to the preliminary data. The situation in other settlements was relatively calm. [Artsakh State Emergency Service]
 

November 7 / Day 42

 

23:55 According to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, today the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the situation in Nagorno Karabakh over the phone. There are no other details about the phone conversation between the two presidents yet.
​There was also a phone conversation between Turkish and Russian Foreign Ministers, who also discussed the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

23:50 "There were no diplomatic representatives in Stepanakert, Martakert, Martuni or Askeran. I am talking about the cities of Karabakh, I am not talking about other villages, Nobody has seen what is happening there. As for the Azerbaijani cities, I would like to say that, first of all, the continuous bombing of the cities of Nagorno-Karabakh did not receive any international response. No one even tried to stop it, and the NKR Defense Army, having legitimate military targets in some settlements or neighborhoods, launched retaliatory strikes." [Nikol Pashinyan's interview to the German ARD TV channel]

23:45 "France will provide emergency medical care to the Armenian healthcare system, in the context of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. A group of orthopedic surgeons will arrive from France, as well as medical equipment and medicine will be sent. This assistance shows France's solidarity with the victims of the conflict. This aid complements the aid provided by the French territorial authorities." [Ambassador of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte]

23:30 The slightest encroachment on Iran will receive a decisive response. Our demand from the conflicting parties in Nagorno Karabakh is not to open a place for Takfiri terrorists in the region. Another important circumstance is the existence of the spy bases of the Zionist regime, in which case we will not allow the bases of that regime to be established near our borders and in the conflict zone. The country that paves the way for the presence of Takfiri Zionist mercenaries will be responsible for the consequences. [Spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces Abolfazl Shekarchi] [armenpress.am]

22։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• In the vicinity of Shushi, near the city itself, in the direction of the roads, the Azerbaijani armed forces managed to advance. The battles do not stop night or day. The enemy involved new forces and units and continues to work on its plans to capture Shushi.
• In the direction of Martuni, the Azerbaijani armed forces tried to attack with the help of armored vehicles, but after losing one or two units of armored vehicles, they were thrown back to the starting lines, leaving dead bodies.
• Fighting was ongoing south of Berdzor. They tried several times to advance in that direction, but failed. Our units managed to make some improvements in that direction.

17:30 Stepanakert is being shelled by Grad and Smerch artillery stations. There is no information about the victims yet. [Artsakh State Emergency Situations Service]

11։00 The Human Rights Defender of Armenia and the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) published an ad hoc report on the use of incendiary ammunition of mass destruction (incendiary weapon) containing chemical elements (possibly white phosphorus) against Artsakh by the Azerbaijani armed forces.
Findings of the report are based on the evidence presented in the report (18+ photos of civilians’ body injuries, map illustrations, etc.). Specific findings are based on studies of the Military Medicine Faculty of the Yerevan State Medical University After Mkhitar Heratsi.
Joint studies the two human rights institutions proofed that the incendiary ammunition was used against civilian objects and forests of Artsakh, causing long-term severe damage to peaceful population and environment.
In many cases of use of incendiary mass destruction ammunition forests are close to civilian communities (e.g. Nngi, Sghnakh, Aknaghbyur, Taghavard, Togh, Qarin Tak): even in cases of 100-meter distance.
Hence, the issue is also related to the long-term inevitable damage to the life and health of the civilian population.
The joint fact-finding missions of the two Human Rights Defenders revealed that overall approximately 1815 hectares forest area was damaged almost in all regions of Artsakh. Considering the specificities of the ammunition, this number may increase even if its use will not continue any more.
Moreover, it was also reported that in civilian communities (e.g. Nngi, Taghavard, Aknaghbyur) destructions to the objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population were caused (e.g. gas pipelines).
The current ad hoc report established at least the following facts, irrespective from the concrete type of the chemical element of the used ammunition:
1) the used ammunition has nature of massive destruction;
2) ammunitions contain chemical elements;
3) are used towards forests, causing mass fires and long-term severe damage to environment;
4) according to expert assessments, the fire, caused by this type of weapon is not stopped even with the extinguishing materials or water;
5) the forests where these ammunitions were used, are located close to the civilian communities;
6) according to the fact-finding activities, civilians, who were probably damaged from the use of the ammunition, are hiding from attacks of Azerbaijani military forces in those forests;
7) the use of this ammunition against civilian objects is prohibited by the international law and may entail to war crime.

10։45 French Beringer AERO company has announced halting supplying parts to the manufacturers of Turkish drones, the Armenian National Committee of America reports. The company announced that deliveries to Turkey were suspended after it was revealed that the UAVs, built with Beringer AERO parts, are being used in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. [pan.am]

10։40 On the night of November 6-7, hostilities continued in all the main directions of the frontline.

• The most persistent and intense battles took place in the area near Shushi-Karintak. Army units successfully repelled multiple attempts of attack by Azerbaijani forces, destroying large numbers of manpower. During the mentioned period, the artillery subdivisions of the Defense Army stood out with their efficiency.
• The operative-tactical situation in all directions of the frontline remained unchanged. The approach of the enemy forces targeting the peaceful settlements of the Republic with rocket- artillery in parallel with the hostilities remained unchanged as well.
• In the south-eastern, southern directions, 2 units of vehicles transporting personnel of the enemy forces and 4 UAV were hit by the Defense army.
• Attempts by the Azerbaijani army to attack in the main directions continue. The units of the Defense Army take all necessary measures to stop them, to detect subversive groups and destroy them. [Defense Army]

10:30 The night was relatively calm at the civilian settlements. After midnight, in Stepanakert and other cities except for Shushi, it was relatively calm. The fortress city of Shushi was regularly shelled. [Artsakh Emergency Situations Service]

 

November 6 / Day 41

23:00 The Assembly of Corsica, France adopted a resolution on the recognition of the Artsakh Republic.

22։30 The war continues, the war is the struggle of our existence, this is not the separate battle of Karintak or the separate battle of Shushi, this is the war of the existence of the Armenian people. Trust our army. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

22։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• For about two days now, the fighting around Shushi has not stopped. Tonight, last night, quite heavy and intense battles took place around Shushi, on the roads leading to Shushi, near Shushi.
• If May 8, 1992 was marked in Armenian history as the day of the liberation of Shushi, then these passing days will enter as special days of the defense of Shushi.
• The military operation to destroy the enemy's reconnaissance and sabotage tactical groups, mercenaries and bandits continues successfully.
• At the moment, the fighting is going on, but the strength has significantly weakened. On other fronts the fighting was considerably weaker.

21:40 "The new Azerbaijani groups coming to Shushi were defeated by the heroic people of Karintak. Further south, further east, the villagers of the other villages defeated the Azeri units coming to the aid of their remaining troops in Shushi on separate roads. Today was one of the days of heroic defense of Shushi. Shushi is ours, Shushi will not fall, no matter how much Aliyev longs for it, be confident, the Armenian army will fight to the end and Shushi will not fall." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

16:00 The Azerbaijani armed forces shelled the Tigranakert archeological camp, according to the Archaeologist, leader of Tigranakert expedition Hamlet Petrosyan.
He alerted about the cultural genocide in Artsakh. Excavations in Artsakh's Tigranakert have been carried out since 2006. Back in August 2020, archaeologists excavated valuable finds there. 

11:40 The City Council of the Catalan city of Berga recognized the independence of the Artsakh Republic, as well as the right of nations to self-determination.

11։30 The Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and the President of France Emmanuel Macron discussed the situation in Nagorno Karabakh. Both sides stressed the importance of a peaceful and diplomatic settlement of the conflict. The interlocutors also spoke about the fight against terrorism. [1lurer.am]

11:20 Russia's foreign intelligence service has clear and accurate data on the militants transferred from Syria to Azerbaijan, said Sergei Naryshkin, director of the service, in an interview with RIA Novosti. "These are accurate data that Russian intelligence has received from the Middle East," Naryshkin said.

11:00 The legislative body of Paysandu, one of the largest departments in Uruguay, unanimously recognized the independence of Artsakh with 28 votes in favor.

10։30 On the night of November 5-6, hostilities continued in all the main directions of the front. The units of the Defense Army conducted effective defensive battles, inflicting heavy military-technical and human losses on the enemy forces in the eastern, southern and south-western parts.
Attempts by the enemy to repeatedly attack Shushi were also thwarted. The enemy suffered heavy losses in the south-western part of Berdzor.
Throughout the day, the enemy fired rockets at peaceful settlements and civilian infrastructure in Artsakh. There are casualties among the civilian population.
Attacks by enemy forces continue in all directions of the front line. Army units fully control the operative-tactical situation, take steps to further detect and destroy enemy forces.[Defense Army]

10։00 Azerbaijani-Turkish forces kept the cities of Shushi and Stepanakert under intense fire throughout the night. Several houses were set on fire in Shushi as a result of the rocket attack, and there are destructions in Stepanakert. Rescue workers of the State Emergency Service are working at the scene. According to preliminary figures there are 3 killed civilians. Other information is being verified. [Artsakh State Emergency Service]



November 5 / Day 40
 

 

22:30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• The fighting continued all night yesterday. The continuation of the fighting depends on the fact that the subversive groups, which are located in the communities near the city of Shushi, in the forests, on the roads, in the gorges, etc., are trying to solve certain problems.
• Today the battles intensified with the use of artillery. During the day, the Azerbaijani armed forces tried to advance again in the northern, southern, central direction, in the Red Market area, with small attack groups, minimal armor, artillery fire support, but were repulsed, suffering some losses.
•  In the forests around Shushi, the subversive groups, when meeting the resistance of different units of our armed forces at the checkpoints or the key areas, did not fight for long. During the day, some were encircled and destroyed, others were thrown out of the given areas. The battles continue.

22:00 French Ambassador to Armenia Jonathan Lacotte posted a photo on his Twitter page, stating that the French military was protecting Armenian churches and educational institutions. "Sad pictures. But it is a strong symbol of the protection that the nation offers to all its citizens. "The threat against the French of Armenian descent is a threat to the whole of France," Lacotte wrote. [lragir.am]

21:40 Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharian stated on Thursday that one of the permanent member states of the UN Security Council thwarted at a closed meeting of the council the agreement on a common position regarding the escalation of the conflict in Karabakh. However, he refused to name this country. The UN Security Council has five permanent members: Russia, USA, Great Britain, France, China.

18:20 According to the available data, a total of 21 Armenian servicemen have been captured by Azerbaijan. As for the captured civilians, the data on them is being verified.

18:00 French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has condemned the Turkish president's aggressive statements against French leadership, threatening to impose sanctions on Turkey.
"Erdogan now regularly makes unacceptable statements of violence, even hatred. "It is directed not only against France, there is a complete European solidarity in this issue, we very clearly insist that Turkey abandons such an approach," he said. [armenpress.am]

17:45 Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that "According to the information received, members of international terrorist groups are currently being transferred from the Middle East to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, those are terrorists with their hands and knees covered in blood." 
"We are talking about extremist mercenaries, they believe in the jihadist ideology, and all this cause us serious concern, as the emergence of a new terrorist enclave in the South Caucasus is obvious in the long term, in the context of the current situation. "Russia made this clear as soon as we received the relevant information," Zakharova said. [mediamax.am]

15:25 Azerbaijani losses so far:

15։20 The Turkish Foreign Ministry claims that official Paris "is in complete dependence on Armenian circles."

This is how the Turkish Foreign Ministry commented on the decision made last night to suspend the Turkish nationalist organization "Gray Wolves" in France.

"Ankara's harsh response will follow this decision of the French government," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Official Ankara also claims that the "Gray Wolves" organization does not exist at all, and that the decision of the French government is "imaginary, hypocritical and provocative" in nature. [azatutyun.am]

15:00 "Today I visited Shushi, met with the defenders of the city, discussed our strategy against the numerous enemy forces.
The defensive fortifications created by the joint efforts of professional soldiers and volunteers, as well as the boys' determination inspire hope that every effort will be made to keep the fortress city impregnable.
Shushi, with its rich cultural values ​​and traditions, is one of the greatest legacies we have inherited from our ancestors, and we must pass it on to the next generations in the same Armenian spirit.
PS: Special thanks to "Hero of Artsakh", devoted son of the Armenian people, Colonel-General Seyran Ohanyan." [Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan]

12։00 The towns of Berdzor (Lachin) and Shushi with adjacent settlements are being shelled. The alarm signal is activated. No information about the victims yet.

11։30 Laval, Canada unanimously recognized Artsakh independence and condemned Azerbaijan's military aggression against Artsakh.

10:00 On the night of November 4-5, relatively stable tension was maintained in all directions of the front line. Enemy forces have been particularly active in the east, south-east and south. The multiple attacks carried out by the enemy's attack groups were successfully stopped by the Defense Army units. The enemy suffered heavy losses of manpower and military equipment. The enemy attempted to attack in the northern part wirh two groups, however the attack was spotted in the time and ennemy's attacking force was destroyed by our army units. During the day, the peaceful settlements of Artsakh continued to remain under the rocket fire of the enemy forces.
Attempts by the enemy forces to attack in the mentionned directions continue on at the moment.
The operative-tactical situation along the entire front line is uder contrl of the Defense Army units. [Defense Army]

 

November 4 / Day 39
 

23:50 The forth Azerbaijani drone is shot down by the Armenian Forces in the area of Akunk village of Gegharkunik region of Armenia, at around 9:30 p.m. [Defense Ministry spokesman]

23։00 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• The fighting continues, there is no need to give in to the misinformation of Baku about the few kilometers left before Stepanakert - "Armenian Armed Forces will turn these few kilometers into an impassable hell".
• Armenian Armed Forces shot down three Azerbaijani drones on the territory of Armenia.
• The sabotage groups tried to carry out attacks in several directions, including in the north and north-east direction.
• Despite the fact that today one of the roads leading from Armenia to Artsakh had to be blocked, there are 2-3 more roads that can be used.

21։00 At around 21:00, three enemy drones were shot by Armenian Defense Forces in the area of Masrik-Sotk of Gegharkunik region in Armenia. [Shushan Stepanyan]

20։20 "We work in detail with international organizations, there have been several reactions to the war in Artsakh, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has responded three times. It is obvious however, that the reaction of international organizations is disproportionate. It should be emphasized, I say this with regret as a human rights defender, but political reasons prevail over human rights." [Armenia Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan] [tert.am]

20։00 "How many more churches need be destroyed after the October 7 bombing of the Shushi cathedral? How many more hospitals have to be bombed? How many cluster bombs still need to fall on civilian infrastructure? We condemn the war crimes committed by Turkish-Azerbaijani forces, condemn the use of jihadist mercenaries against Armenians, and call on Western countries, Israel, Russia and the United States to stop selling any weapons to Azerbaijan."
In France, more than 40 intellectuals have called on the international community to recognize the right of Armenians to self-determination.

15:00 Certain sections of the Shushi-Berdzor road are temporarily closed to the civilian population because of the possible infiltration of Azerbaijani subversive groups. Units of the Artsakh Defense Army are currently conducting search and destroy operations. [Shushan Stepanyan]

14։10 It is obvious that Azerbaijan, Turkey, are the ones, who started the war. The President of Armenia stated this during a meeting with Diaspora Armenians, foreign politicians and public figures, as well as with representatives of  international media.

"Armenians did not start this war, they did not start shelling civilian settlements. "There is no need to prove this, because Armenians have no reason to start a war," he said, answering a European journalist's question about starting a war.

According to the President of Armenia, Azerbaijan's claims that they are liberating their territories, in fact, have another internationally accepted name, it is called "ethnic cleansing" because they seek to take the territory by annihilating the ethnic Armenians who have lived there for thousands of years. "They are now destroying schools, hospitals, committing inhumane acts, destroying human lives - the elderly, children, young people," said Armen Sargsyan, according to the presidential press service.

The President noted that Turkey provides full military-political support to Azerbaijan, citing a number of factors, including ethnic brotherhood and protection of international infrastructure. In fact, according to him, Turkey's goal is to establish itself in the region, to manage the same international infrastructure. "By getting so close to Turkey, Azerbaijan is losing some of its sovereignty. "There are more and more facts that decisions in Baku are made on the advice of Turkey," said Armen Sargsyan.

14:00 "Today, at around 10:30, on the front line south-east of Berdzor (Lachin - ed.), the enemy forces launched another attack with the involvement of armored vehicles. The defending units of the Defense Army, clearly carried out their combat tasks, hitting 3 tanks of the enemy and stopped the latter's attack.
At around 12:55, the enemy launched another attack in the same direction, losing 2 tanks and 2 infantry fighting vehicles, and was thrown back to the starting positions. Fighting is currently going on in this part of the front line. The Defense Army controls the operative-tactical situation." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10:00 Throughout the night, the situation has continued to be relatively tense in all the directions of the frontline. The enemy has continued to shell by artillery and rocket systems the Defense Army’s combat positions and civilian settlements alike. There are casualties among the civilian population. After midnight, the enemy subversive groups have attempted to gain an upper hand in the direction of Shushi but met with organized countermeasures of the army units and volunteers. They have been hurled back, and incurred heavy losses. Currently, the operations aimed at encirclement and destruction of the detected enemy group are underway. The DA units control the operational and tactical situation across the entire frontline. [Shushan Stepanyan]

November 3 / Day 38

 

22:30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Early this morning, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, together with the mercenaries, continued offensive operations in almost all directions of the front.
• The actions continue in the villages already mentioned before, as well as in the area of ​​the Chartar town of the Martuni region and forest areas adjacent to Shushi.
• A little earlier, there was an official statement that the cities of Stepanakert and Shushi were shelled with Smerch fire stations. There are no casualties. Stepanakert’s Mother and Baby Center was also shelled.
• “If we hold out a little longer, put in a little more effort, we will win.”
• Yesterday, the enemy shelled the village of David Bek with a small-caliber artillery. At the moment, the situation in David Beck is relatively calm.
• The decrease in the intensity of battles is associated with a decrease in the combat ability of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
• Our units are in complete control of the situation, and also often change their starting positions in the process of pursuing the enemy

19։00 Yesterday’s terrorist attack in Vienna, Austria has once again attested to the fact that in no way could the world community afford selective approaches in the fight against international terrorism, as it is the greatest menace to mankind in our times. No state is immune to terrorism, and I believe terrorism must not be associated with any particular civilization, religion, nationality or ethnic group. We express our deep sympathies and condolences to the families of victims of the terrorist attacks and wish the wounded speedy recovery. It has been more than a month that in full view of the international community Artsakh became a target of terrorism, combating aspirations and attempts of Azerbaijan and Turkey to turn the South Caucasus into a new hotbed of international terrorism. The Republic of Artsakh faces terrorism and crimes against humanity, suffering human and tangible material loss. We strongly condemn any attempt whereby communities are subjected to terrorism, and the civilian population is targeted deliberately on the grounds of ethnic or religious belonging. Any attempt to justify those encouraging, sponsoring or perpetrating terrorism and extremism, as well as those inciting hate crime and violence, should be unequivocally condemned. The Republic of Artsakh remains committed to those principles and determined to contribute to the fight against terrorism, reinforcing international and regional security, and we will struggle to the end for our right to secure life and development. [Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan]

16։00 It is too early to talk about the meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to the Russian MFA.

Communication on Nagorno Karabakh is carried out at the expert level within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. It is too early to talk about a meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rudenko stated, EAD reports.

14:30 Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei referred to the Nagorno-Karabakh war, noting that it must end, the conditions of which are "the return of the territories occupied by Armenia" and the guarantee by Azerbaijan of the security of the Armenians living there.

"A war is going on between our neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is not favorable for the security of our region. This war must end. One of the main conditions is the return of all the territories occupied by Armenia to Azerbaijan. International borders must be respected. "Of course, it is necessary to guarantee the security and peace of the Armenians living in those regions," he said, according to Isna.

13:30 New evidence is emerging that Azeris are illegally obtaining the passwords of the Armenian prisoners' social network accounts and start managing those pages. Evidence shows that these social network pages or accounts are activated from the Azerbaijani IP domain, often accessing each time with different devices. They do it on different days and hours. Hate continues to be spread from those Armenian pages, materials provoking social and political animosity in Armenia and Artsakh, causing tension, panic and anxiety in the society. [RA Ombudsman]

12:20 "It is obvious to me that a hybrid world war has started and the more the world continues to ignore it, the more it will become noticeable. This war is equally directed against Christians, Muslims and Jews.
Nagorno Karabakh, by the way, is the anti-terrorist front of that war and without exaggeration, also the fate of civilization is decided here. Civilization must win!
We are with you, Vienna." [Nikol Pashinyan]

11:40 The city of Shushi was hit several times. It was a plane using cluster bombs, which fell in different parts of the city, and the remains fell in the village of Karin Tak. There are no casualties among the civilian population, but there is destruction in different parts of the city. Yesterday they were hitting the city from the air, and today they continue. [Shushi Mayor Artsvik Sargsyan on the situation around 09:20] [armenpress.am]

11:30 Answering the question of the Israeli The Jerusalem Post whether Armenia is interested in the humanitarian aid offered by Israel, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said. "Humanitarian aid from a country selling weapons that are used to attack peaceful civilians? I suggest that Israel send this aid to mercenaries and terrorists as a logical continuation of its actions," he said.

10:20 Possible war crimes committed in Nagorno-Karabakh, according U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet​

The U.N. human rights chief said on Monday artillery strikes in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh could amount to war crimes and she urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to halt attacks on civilian areas, schools and hospitals.

Despite a dealt reached in Geneva last Friday by Armenia and Azerbaijan to refrain from deliberately targeting civilians, artillery salvoes against populated areas were reported over the weekend, Michelle Bachelet said, citing strikes on the central market in Stepanakert and the city of Tartar.

“While many faked images have been circulating on social media, in-depth investigations by media organisations into videos that appeared to show Azerbaijani troops summarily executing two captured Armenians in military uniforms uncovered compelling and deeply disturbing information,” Bachelet said in a statement said, noting it could also be a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. [reuters]

10:00 Last night, the Defense Army troops fought defensive battles in the east, south-east and south directions. In the mentioned directions, Defensive Army subdivisions destroyed military vehicles, manpower, as well as 1 tank.
In the small part of the front line in the eastern direction, due to tactical reasons, the Defense Army forces withdrew, to occupy more favorable areas for further combat operations.
In the morning, the Defense Army met with heavy artillery fire the enemy military personnel attempting to advance in the southern direction, causing losses, forcing them to retreat to the starting positions. The army units also silenced the offensive activity of the enemy forces in the northern direction. The Defense Army controls the operative-tactical situation. [Defense Army]

09:30 Last night was generally calm in peaceful settlements. However, at dawn, the enemy resumed shelling the towns of Martuni and Shushi with Smerch reactive fire stations. There are no victims. The situation is relatively calm in other settlements. [Artsakh Emergency Situations Service]

November 2 / Day 37
 

22։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• The enemy was pushed back along the entire perimeter, in some places the Defense Army was able to take more advantageous positions.
• In the direction of Martuni, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were able to advance one or two positions, closer to the city of Chartar.
• Baku is not going to take the bodies of its servicemen, today in one of the villages near Hadrut the enemy fled during the fighting, leaving 15 bodies of dead soldiers.
• Azerbaijani saboteurs tried to break through the front line, their attempts were unsuccessful.
• The technical advantage of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces is far from being as obvious as it was in the first half-month of the war.
• The enemy is numerically and technically superior to us, but their losses are disproportionately greater than ours.

19։45 The Turks vandalized the building of the Consulate of the Republic of Armenia in Lyon, according to France 24 journalist Achren Verdian. In an anti-Armenian note on the wall, they mentioned the Armenian Genocide, as well as the Gray Wolves' allegiance to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. [armenpress.am]

19։30 France will ban the Erdogan supporting Turkish extremist nationalist group "Gray Wolves", according to the Minister of Internal Affairs Gerard Darmanain. [armenpress.am]

19:00 "Today, at around 6:10 pm, the Azerbaijani side opened artillery fire in the direction of the positions of the Armed Forces of Armenia and the settlement of Davit Bek, as a result of which one civilian was killed and two others were wounded." [Shushan Stepanyan]

18։45 "Let's register that Azerbaijan, with a population of 10 million and huge oil revenues, after July 2020, admitted that it was unable to solve its security problems on its own and turned to thousands of mercenaries for help, the comprehensive evidence of which we already have.
The involvement of mercenaries and terrorists in the aggression against Artsakh is a threat not only to Artsakh and Armenia, but also to international security, and this issue should be the subject of international investigation." [Nikol Pashinyan]

16։40 Defense Army has released the names of another 11 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 1178. Deputy Commander of the Defense Army, Colonel Arthur Sargsyan and Colonel Sergey Shakaryan are among the confirmed casualties.

16:30 "Many schools and kindergartens in Artsakh were damaged due to the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression. The children of Artsakh will be 100% deprived of the right to education." [Ombudsman of Artsakh]

16։20 The idea of deploying Scandinavian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, proposed by the United States, must be agreed with the parties to the conflict, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko. [tass.ru]

16։00 Representatives of the Yezidi community living in Armenia are already recruiting their third detachment of volunteers. The mood of the fighters is combative. The Yezidi detachment acts very competently, not leaving the entrusted positions. The fighting spirit of the Yezidi fighters is high. [Yezidi MP Rustam Bakoyan] [armenpress.am]

15։30 On November 1, between 20:30 and 23:40, hot battles took place in the northwestern part of the Azerbaijani-Artsakh front line. In the direction of the two key positions of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani side carried out a heavy attack, which was stopped by Armenian army units as a result of persistent inter-positional battles. The enemy fled with heavy losses. The fleeing enemy was blocked in one of the gorges, and the Armenian forces continued the operation of its complete elimination. In the same direction, the enemy launched another attack with a platoon, which was also stopped due to the competent actions taken. Our units pursued the fleeing enemy and destroyed him. Currently, the operative tactical situation on this section of the front line is completely under the control of the Defense Army units. [Defense Army]

14:00 The address of the Prime Minister of Armenia to the President of the Russian Federation is unacceptable, Russia, as a mediator, must remain neutral. [President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev]

  

11։30 Thousands of people marched through West LA Sunday morning to show support for Armenia and Artsakh in their war with Azerbaijan. The march, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation, was held after a week-long hunger strike took place by its members. 

The Armenian-American community is demanding recognition for Artsakh, and end to military assistance to Turkey and Azerbaijan, and for the U.S. to immediately impose sanctions on Turkey and Azerbaijan. [FOX11]

11:00 On November 1, during the military actions the military units of the Artsakh Defense Army captured the second terrorist fighter involved by the Azerbaijani side in the military hostilities against Artsakh, who introduced himself as Yusuf Alaabet al-Hajji, a resident of the village of Ziyadiya in the Jisr al-Shughur region of Idlib province of Syria. It should be noted that another terrorist fighter was captured by the Artsakh Defense Army earlier on October 30 introducing himself as Mehrab Muhammad Al-Shkheir from the Syrian city of Hama.
The Armenian side has repeatedly voiced out about the recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters and jihadists by Turkey from various "hot spots" in the Middle East, particularly from Libya and the areas under its control in Syria, and their subsequent transfer and deployment to the region with the purpose of committing atrocities against the people of Artsakh. The above-mentioned fact is not merely confirmed by the intelligence services of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, a number of our partners and international community, but also by the direct testimonies of the terrorists.
In their testimonies the above-mentioned terrorists provided detailed information about their recruitment process, the expected monthly payment for fighting against “kafirs” (infidels), the extra payment for the each beheaded “infidel”, as well as about their envisaged terroristic plans. The transfer of jihadists to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone reveals the intentions of the Turkish-Azerbaijani leadership to give the conflict an inter-religious character.
This is a completely new manifestation of expansion of terrorism, when foreign terrorist fighters and jihadists from the Middle East have been deployed to the conflict zone in the OSCE area; it is a serious threat to the international and regional security and stability.
Armenia will continue to undertake consistent steps in the fight against international terrorism, in that regard cooperating with all interested partners. [Armenia MFA]

11:00 Throughout the night, hostilities of various intensity were ongoing along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan frontline. The enemy groups in the process of deployment in certain sectors have been detected and destroyed by the Defensive Army units. The enemy has also continued to shell civilian settlements with rocket and artillery. In the southeastern direction, the enemy has attempted to bring armored vehicles closer to the frontline. The countermeasures taken by the Defensive Army units have resulted in one destroyed enemy tank, while the other combat vehicles have pulled out. Currently, the operational and tactical situation is under the control of the Defensive Army. [Defensive Army]

 

November 1 / Day 36

 

22։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• From the early morning, enemy troops and terrorists - mercenaries began offensive operations in various directions of the front. Basically, the enemy acted through small groups, sometimes using tactical aviation and artillery.
• There were no significant positional changes during the day. The fighting continues.
• Attempts to perform specific tasks on the front line with the help of mercenaries indicate that serious damage has been done to the military potential of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
• The enemy continues to use the prohibited weapon - phosphorus munitions in various directions.
• Our armed forces are getting stronger every day.

20:45 In Shushi, Azerbaijan targeted cultural and educational facilities, such as the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque of Shushi, the Yeznik Mozyan Craft School, and the Shushi Technological University. [Armenian Unified Infocenter]

20:30 Spanish Congressman Jon Iñarritu is currently in Armenia as part of a delegation of Spanish parliamentarians and journalists. He posted a video on Twitter, noting that they had arrived to Armenia as observers to get acquainted with the consequences of the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression and to call on the international community to make efforts to reach a peaceful settlement. [armenpress.am]

17:15 Turkey transports terrorists to the frontline via civilian airports and planes. Their entry was not hindered in any way by the Turkish Armed Forces, border troops, or police, moreover, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Turkey and the police supported their entry from Syria to Turkey. These people did not have any documents when crossing the border. [Rafael Vardanyan, Head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the RA Investigation Committee]

17:00 Another Syrian mercenary, Yusuf Alaabet al-Haji, born in 1988, a resident of the village of Ziyadiya of Idlib province, was captured and interrogated by the units of the Defense Army. He's married with 5 children.
In Artsakh, in his words, in order to fight against the "kafirs" (infidels), he was promised a monthly salary of $ 2,000 and a $ 100 "reward" for beheading every "kafir."[Shushan Stepanyan]

16:30 "Turks vandalized the Armenian Genocide monument in Lyon." [Office of the Chief Commissioner of the Diaspora]

16:00 "As for the terrorists, we are almost certain that they participated in the clashes. We have emphasized that this is not in anyone's interest. During the negotiations and before that, we informed the officials of Azerbaijan, Armenia, as well as Russia, and Turkey that Iran will not tolerate such a thing. Now, these terrorists are not near our borders, but they are probably some distance from our borders. We have seriously expressed our concern to the parties." [Iranian Foreign Minister] [Armenpress]

13:30 "There is now complete and comprehensive evidence that thousands of mercenaries were recruited in Syria, transferred by Turkey to Azerbaijan and involved in military aggression against Artsakh. This is an international criminal network and its discovery cannot be without consequences. There will be new evidence in the near future." [Nikol Pashinyan]

11:00 Overnight battles continued in the south-western, south-eastern and northern directions. Along with the military operations, Azerbaijani forces continued targeting peaceful settlements, and shelling the cities of Martuni and Shushi as well as the village of Qarin Tak. Artsakh Defense Army units carried out targeted attacks against Azerbaijani firing positions in those directions. Azerbaijani forces attempted to advance in the direction of Avetaranots and Sghnakh villages using 10 units of military equipment, but after sustaining significant losses were pushed back. In the morning, Azerbaijani forces resumed their offensive and continued shelling peaceful settlements. The Artsakh Defense Army maintains full control along the entire length of the front line, controls all the movements of the Azerbaijani forces and, if necessary, delivers targeted attacks on its forces. [Artsakh MoD]

 

October 31 / Day 35

 

22։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Today, throughout the day, starting in the morning, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces continued offensive operations almost along the entire front line.
• In the central direction, having thrown a large amount of infantry and other forces at 1-2 positions, as well as using armored vehicles and artillery at the same time, the Azerbaijani side managed to achieve certain positional advantages. At the same time, the enemy continued to shell the city of Martuni.
•  On the south and southeast directions, we have some positional improvements and progress.
• Until there are full-proof verification mechanisms, there can be no truce, because the mechanisms that will allow monitoring the ceasefire and identifying the violator, and, why not, register that Azerbaijan was the side that started the aggression, will bring the most substantive results.
• You cannot "accidentally" hit the Shushi church, Martakert hospital and Stepanakert maternity hospital with a super-precise weapon.

22:00 "I'm blind, but I'm acting. And the international community is not blind, but it does not act. That is why Azerbaijan, Turkey and terrorists continue to commit such crimes. As a blind ombudsman of the Artsakh Republic, I call on the international community to stop talking and start acting. Do not be blind." [Call of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan to the international community]

21:40 The Armenian community in Great Britain is holding a peaceful protest in front of the office of the international oil and gas company British Petroleum in London, demanding the termination of business ties with Azerbaijan. The protesters note that the company, which produces and exports Azerbaijani oil and has an office in Azerbaijan, is financing the war against Artsakh. Participants chanted "Stop financing the war," "Stop financing terrorism," "Shame on BP," "BP kills people," and a number of other phrases. [armenpress.am]

21:30 Armenian youth in Los Angeles are fighting for the recognition of Artsakh with new actions. They organized a 7-day hunger strike, demanding that the US leadership recognize Artsakh's independence, stop selling arms to Azerbaijan and Turkey. The hunger strike started at the beginning of the week and will continue until Sunday, ending the action with a pan-Armenian march to the Consulate of Azerbaijan. [armenpress.am]

17։05 Baku does not want the intervention of third countries in the Karabakh issue, the President of Azerbaijan told the German ARD TV channel, answering the question whether Baku expects support from Turkey. "This is a war between Armenia and us, others should avoid interference," said Ilham Aliev, adding, "we do not see the possibility of another country intervening, as our neighboring countries are our allies and friends."

17։00 Today, the village of Herher in the Martuni region was shelled, as a result of which one civilian, 59-year-old Apres Adamyan, was killed in his house. [Artsakh Ombudsman]

15:20 After the Artsakh Defense Army presented indisputable facts of the use of phosphorous munitions containing elements of chemical weapons by the enemy forces, the Azerbaijani official circles have bent to the unpromising task of spreading ludicrous and naive statements making futile efforts in their quest to come off clear. [Shushan Stepanyan, RA MoD Spokesperson]

15:10 As of October 30, there were at least 44 civilian casualties and 141 wounded.  I mention it at least, because we have preliminary information from different places, especially from the settlements where the Azerbaijani armed forces entered, committed certain crimes, we received information that there are other civilian casualties.  However, at the moment we do not have finalized information, we can not present it in a proven way.  [Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan]

14:50 The press secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry Shushan Stepanyan denied the statement of Baku on the delivery of phosphorus cargo by the Armenian side to Karabakh, calling these allegations an unsuccessful attempt to justify themselves after the use of phosphorus munitions by the Azerbaijani side. [Sputnik Armenia]

14:30 In the morning Stepanakert, in the afternoon Martuni and Martakert, and at this moment the city of Shushi were targeted by different types of missile systems fired by the Azerbaijani forces. The data on victims are being clarified. [Artsakh Ministry of the  Emergency]

13։00 Russia, in accordance with the allied agreements, will provide all the necessary support if the hostilities are transferred directly to the territory of Armenia, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.

The Russian Foreign Ministry once again called on the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to establish an immediate ceasefire, reduce tensions, return to meaningful negotiations based on the principles of the agreements reached in Moscow on October 10.

11:40 "Violating the arrangements reached in Geneva, the enemy shelled the city of Shushi. There are reports about wounded among the peaceful civilians." [Shushan Stepanyan]

11:30"Azerbaijan is using, as the current data confirms, Phsophorus munitions over Nagorno Karabakh setting fires to the forests which are next to civilian communities. Armenia’s Human Rights Defender’s urgent investigation results; fact-finding activities of Artsakh Human Rights Ombudsman confirmed not only this fact, but also the fact that during days and nights many civilians are hiding in these forests from Azerbaijani military attacks. These munitions have clear effects of mass destruction for environment; now are also used against civilians by Azerbaijani military forces and in this context are forbidden under international law. These phosphorus munitions are weapons which use one of the common allotropes of the chemical element phosphorus. White phosphorus is used in smoke, illumination and incendiary munitions, and is commonly the burning element of tracer ammunition." [Armenia Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan]

11:00 The Prime Minister appealed to the Russian President to define the types of assistance that Russia can provide to Armenia

"Taking into account the facts of hostilities approaching the border of the Republic of Armenia and the encroachments on the territory of the Republic of Armenia, the Prime Minister addressed the President of the Russian Federation to start immediate consultations to determine the type of assistance that the Russian Federation can provide to the Republic of Armenia. Based on the allied relations between Armenia and Russia as well as the Article 2 of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance of August 29, 1997," reads the official letter.

10:00 "During the night, "search and destroy" operations continued in the areas where the enemy groups were infiltrated. One enemy vehicle loaded with ammunition was destroyed. The positions of forces in all directions of the front line remained unchanged. The units of the Defense Army conducted successful defensive battles in the north-eastern, south and south-western directions. Our troops destroyed 1 enemy tank, 1 infantry fighting vehicle, 5 unmanned aerial vehicles.
In the morning, hostilities resumed in the mentioned directions. In addition to defensive lines, the enemy continues to target peaceful settlements and civilian infrastructure.
Enemy forces used weapons containing chemical elements (white phosphorus) prohibited by international conventions.
The operative-tactical situation is under the control of the Defense Army units." [Defense Army]

09:00 This morning, at 7:08 AM Stepanakert was targeted again by the Azerbaijani forces. This time the central market of Stepanakert was the target. Part of the infrastructure of public importance was destroyed, causing great material damage. The next blast destroyed a house with the adjacent apartments partially damaged.
According to preliminary data, there are no casualties. [State Emergency Service of the Republic of Artsakh]

01:30 Press Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

GENEVA, 30 October 2020 – The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) released the following statement today:

The Co-Chairs met separately and jointly with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Geneva on October 30.  The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson in Office (PRCiO) Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meetings. They also held consultations with UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi and ICRC President Peter Maurer.

The Co-Chairs once again called on the sides to implement, in full, their commitments, including the immediate establishment of a humanitarian ceasefire, in accordance with the October 10 Moscow Joint Statement, which the sides reaffirmed with Paris on October 17 and in Washington on October 25.

Without prejudice to the implementation of the ceasefire or other commitments, the sides agreed to take a number of steps on an urgent basis, including:

• The sides will not deliberately target civilian populations or non-military objects in accordance with international humanitarian law; 
• The sides will actively engage in the implementation of the recovery and exchange of remains on the battlefield by providing the ICRC and PRCiO the necessary safety guarantees for facilitation; 
• The sides will deliver to the ICRC and PRCiO, within one week, a list of currently detained prisoners of war for the purposes of providing access and eventual exchange;
• The sides will provide in writing comments and questions related to possible ceasefire verification mechanisms in accordance with item 2 of the October 10 joint statement.

The sides engaged in an open and substantive exchange of views aimed at clarifying their negotiating positions on core elements of a comprehensive solution in accordance with item 3 of the October 10 joint statement.

The Co-Chairs will continue working with the sides intensively to find a peaceful settlement of the conflict.  

October 30 / Day 34

 

23։45 US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien confirms use of mercenaries by Turkey in Nagorno Karabakh, despite Turkish denial. He also says they are discussing possible involvement of Scandinavian (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) armed observers (aka peacekeepers) in Nagorno Karabakh.

22:30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• The Azerbaijani Armed Forces artillery fired in the direction of Kapan.
• In the northern direction, after a short period of artillery shelling, the enemy tried to attack several positions, but was thrown back.
• The battles continued in a southerly direction, north of the Araks River. Our armed forces have certain positional advantages over several heights.
• In the Martuni-Chartar direction, they tried to break through the front all day, mainly using non-armored vehicles, attacking groups, covered by a  rather heavy artillery fire. At the moment, there is no change of position in this direction, but the battles are heavy.
• The fighting continues in the direction of the forest villages near Shushi. 

19:30 Excerpts from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's interview with representatives of authoritative international media:

"Unfortunately, from an 'x' moment, it was around the 2000s, the world press began to present the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In fact, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has nothing to do with the territorial dispute. Meanwhile, the Karabakh movement, which started 10 or 12 years before that, was considered the precursor that resulted in the collapse of the Berlin Wall. "Because the Karabakh movement began as an expression of the democratization of the Soviet Union."

 "How is it possible to talk about a diplomatic solution of the conflict if event the ceasefire is not observed? The diplomats of the two countries, through the mediation of the leaders of the powerful countries of the world, reach a diplomatic agreement on what time the next day the ceasefire starts, which is a very simple thing, isn't it? How serious is it to hope that greater diplomatic arrangements can be made in those conditions? If we can not take the first step, how can we hope to take the last step?"

"Look at what happened with France. See how the Turkish President speaks about the French President. Who would have imagined that 15 years ago or during the Cold War? What is it, if not war? It's another matter whether you want to notice that war or not. The less you notice, the more it becomes noticeable to you. Yes, people are beheaded on the streets of Europe today; everyone is happy that their heads were not beheaded. I call it the mechanics of genocide. And it is clear that from its reactions we see where the energy center is, from where all this is encouraged."

"What else could I have done to prevent this war? I could not defend the interests of Nagorno-Karabakh or Armenia at all, I could give in. But would that have prevented the war? By this logic, no. Because at the lowest point of that concession, Azerbaijan would have demanded more. The European powers thought that when they conceded Czechoslovakia to Hitler, they would satisfy his appetite and the war would not happen. And what happened as a result? Hitler swallowed Czechoslovakia. And then as the saying goes, "the appetite comes when you eat." We are not going to concede our Czechoslovakia." [infocom]

19:00 Robert Kocharyan can not travel to Moscow, his coronavirus test result was positive

18։30 Nikol Pashinyan agrees Ter-Petrosyan and Robert Kocharyan to leave for Moscow to discuss situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

Former presidents of Artsakh Arkady Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan, during a meeting on October 20, informed the PM that the first and second presidents of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Robert Kocharyan want to go to Moscow to discuss the situation around Nagorno Karabakh with representatives of the Russian elite and to offer concrete solutions to the Armenian government as a result of the discussions, according to the Prime Minister's spokesperson Mane Gevorgyan. [azatutyun.am]

15։10 Armenian Forces published video of captured and injured Syrian mercenary Mehred Muhammad Alshher from Hama․
He says he is married and has three children. He admits that he arrived on the Artsakh-Azerbaijani front line on October 19 along with 250 other terrorists from Turkey. They were promised $ 2,000, but it was not paid. He was abandoned by his comrades after being wounded. He says that they are moving forward on the front line, while the Azerbaijani military moving forward on the 2nd and 3rd lines. Before being brought to the front, they participated in a preparation camp, where Turkish military instructors worked with them.

15:05 "Today we are talking about the war in Nagorno Karabakh and the expulsion of Armenians from a region where, in fact, 2000 years of Armenian civilization and culture can be found. Nagorno Karabakh is a green oasis in the Caucasus, which with its landscape resembles the middle part of Italy. We are neither a party nor a judge in this long-term conflict, it is far from us, unfortunately also emotionally. Dear ladies and gentlemen, there is distant suffering, but there is no stranger's suffering. We sympathize with the people living in Karabakh, the military and civilian victims, as well as the Azeris who fled or were expelled from their homeland 30 years ago, it worries and saddens us. 
Armenians are alone, and the world that calls itself civilized looks away․ We must do everything so that history does not repeat itself․" [Bundestag Ruling Party MP Manfred Grund]

15:05 "The leader of Azerbaijan stated that this war will be fought to the end. In other words, he wants to return the whole territory by force, going against the Madrid principles. Turkey sends not only weapons to Azerbaijan, but also troops, including from Syria. This is catastrophic, and the German government and NATO must finally strongly condemn this. You should call things by their names and clearly condemn Turkey's provocations․" [Bundestag MP Gregor Gysi to the German Foreign Minister]

15։00 RA Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan's meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs started in Geneva. [Foreign Ministry Spokesman]

13:30 The city of Amposta in Catalunya, Spain has recognized the independence of Artsakh.

13։00 The Russian Foreign Ministry does not deny the danger of Syrian-Libyan militants taking part in the hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh, "penetrating" Russia.

"Of course, such a threat can not be denied," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Siromolotov, RIA Novosti reported. Siromolotov added that the Russian law enforcement bodies are closely monitoring the situation. 

12։20 In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone would be "the most optimal decision."

In the interview published today, Pashinyan also said that it should be acceptable to everyone. "I am in favor of the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone, but the problem is that it must be approved by all parties," Pashinyan said.

11։45 "At the moment there are intense battles on the southern front." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10:45 Armenian Foreign Minister Zorhab Mnatsakanyan exchanged views on the situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone and regional security issues with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was in Yerevan on a working visit.

Both sides expressed concern over the transfer of international terrorists from the Middle East to the region, considering it a serious threat to the entire region, according to a statement issued by the Armenian Foreign Ministry's press service.

The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister presented his country's approaches for the establishment of a ceasefire and settlement of the conflict. In this context, the Armenian Foreign Minister noted that Iran's approaches to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be thoroughly studied. 

10։25 "I was recently made aware of the death tonight of 84-year-old Misha Melkumyan, a civilian captured by the Azerbaijani armed forces.
Taking into account all the evidence and documents on the inhuman treatment and cruelty of the Azerbaijani armed forces to the Armenian captives, it becomes clear what is the cause of death of our compatriot. My condolences to the family of Misha Melkumyan." [Armenia Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan]

10:00 "Reconnoitering and fire engagement operations were ongoing throughout overnight, October 29-30, in the deployed locations of the enemy forces, as a result of which a large quantity of enemy munitions and manpower was destroyed. After midnight, the enemy forces tried to launch a new attack in the south-eastern direction, which was thwarted by the army units. The enemy forces also attempted to gain success in the northern part of the frontline, and these attempts were also thwarted, with the enemy forces incurring heavy losses here as well. The Azerbaijani forces continued shelling of the residential areas of the towns and cities of Artsakh. “Search and destroy” operations against the hostile groups are underway." [Shushan Stepanyan]

 

October 29 / Day 33

23:40 "On October 30, Foreign Minister Mnatsakanyan will leave for Geneva, where he will meet with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and is currently meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Additional details after the meeting." [Anna Naghdalyan]

23։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Today, throughout the day, hostilities continued along the entire frontline, but not with high intensity.
• In the southern part, in the direction of the front line from Berdzor to the banks of the Araks River, there were some military operations. Armenian armed forces managed to make position improvements at certain locations.
• Besides, as we mentioned before, the military operations against the subversive groups continue in the areas adjacent to the villages of Martuni and Askeran regions of Artsakh. Today, those military operations took place in the hills and forest massifs adjacent to the villages of Sghnakh and Avetaranots.
• The subversive groups penetrate in different directions, the fight against them implies certain tactics of separate military operations, which are not like the typical intensive combat battles typical of a regular full-scale battle or the fifth generation war.
• During the day, the shelling of different settlements of Artsakh in different directions continued. Mainly artillery and missile means are used..

19։20 "Dear compatriots!
Today, at this crucial historical moment, when Turkish-Azerbaijani and terrorist gangs attacked Artsakh with all their military resources, aiming to exterminate or expel the Artsakh Armenians living in their homeland for thousands of years, we are fighting to the death in unequal conditions in all respects.
Now they are threatening our homeland and existence not only along the entire front line, but also investing serious military resources in the direction of Shushi, aiming to take possession of the proud Armenian fortress city at all costs.
Shushi is not just a city, it is a symbol of the determination of the Armenian people to live in their own cradle, a symbol of the victories of the Armenian people. Shushi is the beating heart of all Armenians.
As the Commander-in-Chief of Artsakh, I once again call on you to unite and defend our Shushi, our Artsakh, our national dignity." [Arayik Harutyunyan]

19:00 "A long-term settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is possible only if the interests of the peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan are taken into account," Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an investment conference in Moscow today. According to him, Russia "initially spoke about the transfer of five regions occupied by Armenia to Azerbaijan, then two more."

"Initially, we thought that we should talk about the possibility of returning to Azerbaijan five and then two regions, ensuring cooperation with Armenia under a certain regime for Karabakh," Putin said. [azatutyun.am]

18:30 Defense Army has released the names of another 47 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 1167.

16:30 "On October 29, with the exceptional mediation efforts of the Russian Federation, and with the participation of the field team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and the ICRC, the bodies of 29 Armenian servicemen killed in action were handed over to the Armenian side.
At the same time the ICRC efforts have resulted in one civilian’s repatriation to Armenia.
In its turn, the Armenian side, adhering to the arrangements reached within the framework of the humanitarian ceasefire, once again reiterates its readiness to hand over to the Azerbaijani side the bodies of Azerbaijani servicemen in the territory of Artsakh, and to start the process of recovery of bodies in the inter-positional zone throughout the entire Artshakh-Azerbaijan frontline of hostilities, as well as exchange of information on POWs and their respective handover in future." [Shushan Stepanyan] 

12:55 All the former presidents of the democratic period of Uruguay have issued a joint statement on the war in Artsakh.

"We express our historic solidarity with the Armenian people in the face of the horrific events in the South Caucasus, we express our desire for an immediate ceasefire, and the resumption of peace talks, as well as the final settlement of this conflict," said in their joint statement Julio Maria Sanginetti, Luis Alberto Herrera, Tabare Vazquez and Jose Mujica. [azatutyun.am]

12։50 "Armenians were attacked during a peaceful demonstration in Fresno. Two Armenians were stabbed. Police have launched an investigation. This is not the first time that Azerbaijan and Turkey have moved the war from the border to third countries and launched a campaign of provocations." [Office of the High Commissioner for the Diaspora]

12։30"The Azerbaijani armed forces have been shelling the capital Stepanakert for several hours in a row. There are casualties among the civilian population, there is destruction.
Today is probably the day of the most aggressive attack on Stepanakert during this whole war." [Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan]

12։20 The OSCE Minsk Group had shown its ineffectiveness in resolving the crisis of Nagorno-Karabakh and Iran was proposing its own plan, according to Iranian special envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived to Moskow for talks. 

“Almost 30 years have passed since the creation of the Minsk Group, and this group could not find a lasting solution to this issue, it proved its inability. Some countries of this group are not in the region at all and have nothing to do with this crisis, the inefficiency of this group has been proven by practice, " Araghchi is quoted on the embassy's Telegram channel.

He stressed that Iran offered "a regional approach to resolving this crisis with the participation of the countries of the region, which play a key role, and Russia is one of the important countries in the region."

"The main goal of Iran's proposal is to help end the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. The most important feature of Iran's plan is its regional approach, and another feature is its realism," the Iranian diplomat added. Earlier, Araghchi held talks in Baku, after meetings in Moscow, he plans to visit Yerevan and Ankara. [Ria Novosti]

 

12:00 The enemy used military aircraft on the city of Martakert. There are destructions. There are no casualties among the civilian population. The air alarm is on in Stepanakert, Askeran, Martuni and Martakert. [Artsakh Emergency Situations Ministry]

11։10 The Italian city of Asolo recognized the independence of Artsakh․

11։00 Ongoing hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh are unacceptable and must be stopped immediately. This was stated at a briefing by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

Stéphane Dujarric․ He strongly condemned all attacks on peaceful settlements, including the shelling of Stepanakert and other settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"There can be no excuse for such attacks. We reiterate the Secretary General's call on all parties to immediately implement the humanitarian ceasefire agreed upon, to fulfill their obligations to protect the civilian population, and the civilian infrastructure," he added. [azatutyun.am]

10։45 The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is in danger of spiraling out of control. This is announced by the recent events. The civilian population of the whole region suffers. The civilians are dying with alarming rates. The International Committee of the Red Cross wrote on Twitter. "We are in contact with the parties to remind them of their obligations under international humanitarian law. The horrible scenes we see cannot continue. We strongly condemn the latest wave of violence," the statement said. [shantnews.am]

10։30 Defense Army has released the names of another 51 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 1120.

10:00 Currently the military operations continue intensively in different directions of the front line. Especially intense fighting is going on in the Avetaranots, Sghnakh-Aknaghbyur section of the Askeran region. The enemy has great losses of manpower. [Vahram Poghosyan]

10:00 During the night the situation on the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone was stable-tense, no essential changes in the operative situation registered, the Defense Army reports.
After the midnight and early in the morning the adversary resumed targeting peaceful settlements of Artsakh Republic. In particular, the adversary forces shelled Stepanakert, Shushi and nearby civilian settlements from Smerch MLRS. Defense Army’s air defense forces destroyed enemy’s yet another Bayraktar combat UAV.

01։30 The City Council of Palermo, Italy unanimously recognized the independence of the Artsakh Republic․

00:40 NAGORNO-KARABAKH – STATEMENT BY VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

Following the collapse of the ceasefire announced by Secretary of State Pompeo on October 25, a large-scale humanitarian disaster is looming for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, who have already suffered too much and need to have their security protected. After a month of fighting, it is long past time for President Trump to directly engage the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey to push for immediate de-escalation and stop the advance of Azerbaijani troops into Nagorno-Karabakh.

While he brags about his deal-making skills at campaign rallies, Trump has yet to get involved personally to stop this war. The administration must fully implement and not waive requirements under section 907 of the Freedom Support Act to stop the flow of military equipment to Azerbaijan, and call on Turkey and Russia to stop fueling the conflict with the supply of weapons and, in the case of Turkey, mercenaries. The United States should be leading a diplomatic effort to end the fighting, together with our European partners, and push for international humanitarian assistance to end the suffering; under my administration that is exactly what we will do.

 

October 28 / Day 32

23:00 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Offensive operations of Azerbaijani armed forces together with terrorist groups continued in the direction of the units located along the Armenian border, as well as from the north to the south of Artsakh.
• Some small-scale operations were carried out in the southern part and in the direction of Berdzor. The Azerbaijani forces did not succeed in advancing towards Berdzor. In this direction, the Armenian army subdivisions managed to make certain positional improvements.
• Artillery fire was mainly used in the northern direction, shelling particularly in the direction of Martakert and units located further in the north.
• The fighting continued in the southern direction, the work of subversive groups in the direction of the previously mentioned villages continues. They are focal, slow, not intense, but persistent.
• The hostilities do not have the same density, the same coverage, and the same dynamics. They are focal, but continuous. Subversive groups, artillery, partly air force are used.

21:05 Unable to conceal the undeniable fact of deploying international jihadist terrorists from Syria and Libya to the South Caucasus region, Turkey once again resorts to the policy of blatantly misleading the international community with fake and provocative allegations.

The false allegations of the Turkish Ministry of Defense that foreign mercenaries are supporting Armenia and Artsakh reflect the dishonorable nature of the military-political leadership of Turkey.
The Armenian side stands for the immediate withdrawal of international terrorist organizations from the South Caucasus and resolutely rejects Turkey’s actions aimed at further destabilization of the region. We strongly condemn the joint efforts of Turkey and Azerbaijan - terrorist supporting countries, to turn their countries into a hub of international terrorism and to spread that plague throughout the region. In order to confront this threat, close cooperation among all parties interested in regional security is required. Armenia and Artsakh, unlike our two neighbors, do not host but fight terrorists.[Anna Naghdalyan, MFA spokesperson]

21:00 The Italian city of Cerchiara di Calabria has recognized the Independence of the Artsakh Republic.  [RA MFA]



20:55 Today, on October 28, the armed forces of Azerbaijan throughout the day bombed and shelled the capital of the Republic of Artsakh - Stepanakert, and the second largest city - Shushi, for numerous times. The residential areas of the city, civilian infrastructure, including the maternity hospital of Stepanakert were attacked. There are casualties - killed and wounded - among the civilian population.

This war crime, which is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and customary law, clearly demonstrates that the people of Artsakh are Azerbaijan’s target, including newborn babies, mothers, and the elders. The attempts of the Azerbaijani military-political leadership to kill the life in Artsakh will fail and the organizers of these crimes will be held responsible. [MFA of Armenia]
 

20:50 “Azerbaijan is establishing terrorist bases in the invaded areas”

Based on the analysis of the tactics and intercepted telephone conversations of Turkish-Azerbaijani mercenaries and terrorists, collated with  intelligence data, it has become evident that in recent days, in the result of the retreat of the Armenian units for tactical considerations in some directions, the Azerbaijani armed forces are diligently establishing bases for terrorist groups in these respective areas, whose actions can destabilize the situation not only on the borders of Armenia and Artsakh but also pose a serious threat to the entire region. [Shushan Stepanyan]

17:20 According to Interfax news agency, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was ready to negotiate in Moscow with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan without preconditions. At the same time, Aliyev said he questioned "Yerevan's ability to do constructive work" in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. [azatutyun.am]

17:00 An entire district in Stepanakert was damaged. Military aviation was used. As a result of the bombing, houses and cars were damaged or completely destroyed. [Artsakh Emergency Situations Ministry]

15։00 In France, a group of Turks attacked peaceful Armenian protesters, with hammers․ One is in critical condition. A woman and a child injured. 

On October 28, several Turks attacked with hammers peaceful Armenian protesters, demonstrating in France to stop the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh. The condition of the Armenian young man who was wounded in the head is serious. He was taken to hospital by helicopter. According to preliminary information, about 10 Armenians, including a woman and a child, were injured during the incident in France today.

15:00 "Azerbaijani Armed Forces targeted Stepanakert maternity hospital. The information about the victims is being clarified. 

14։00 Azerbaijani losses so far:

13։40 Shushi and Stepanakert were shelled with the "Smerch" reactive artillery system. One dead and two injured among the civilian population in Shushi, no casualties in Stepanakert. [Artsakh Ministry of Emergency Situations]

13։35 Senator Leo Housakos has called on the Government of Canada to condemn the joint Azerbaijani - Turkish aggression and recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh.

“The Senate of Canada calls upon the Government of Canada to immediately condemn the joint Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression against the Republic of Artsakh, uphold a permanent ban on military exports to Turkey, recognize the Republic of Artsakh’s inalienable right to self-determination and, in light of the increased escalation and continued targeting of innocent Armenian civilians, recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh”, the motion initiated by the Senator says. [armenpress]

13։30 We must not allow Artsakh, liberated and protected by blood, to fall victim to the negotiating table. [His Holiness Aram I ] 

13։30 Defense Army has released the names of another 59 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 1069.

11:00 France expects the European Union to take action against Turkey

France considers it necessary for the European Union to take action against Turkey at its next summit. The statement came from Franck Riester, France's envoy to Europe, who spoke in an interview with Le Figaro newspaper.

"The whole of Europe now condemns the behavior of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. "There is a need for a European response to his actions at the next EU summit," Riester told Le Figaro.

In his speech to the National Assembly, he stressed that the summit "should make decisions that will allow it to strengthen the balance of power with Turkey in order to better defend its interests and European values ​​in the future." Riester stressed that Erdogan's current actions "are in line with his course aimed at securing and strengthening Turkey's control over a number of neighboring regions." [azatutyun.am]

  

10։40 Armenians from 73 countries of the world participate in the national fundraising. [Executive Director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan]

10։30 The Glendale City Council has adopted a resolution recognizing Artsakh's independence․

10։00 "The Azerbaijani society will not receive news of the conquest of Artsakh, it is the endless expectation of that news that will destroy the Azeri plans to conquer Artsakh․" [Nikol Pashinyan]

10:00 "During the night, the situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone remained relatively stable and tense. In the evening, the enemy continued shelling the peaceful settlements, in particular, Martuni, as well as the villages of Askeran region. Currently, local battles are taking place in some directions of the front line. Defense Army units continue to destroy the enemy's subversive groups." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

October 27 / Day 31

 

23:30 "We have the following complexity - Azerbaijan does not agree to the compromise to which Armenia agrees. When Armenia lowers the bar from its initial level to some extent and tries to find a compromise, from that moment on Azerbaijan no longer agrees to it and demands more. And since there is a parallel military pressure, I said in that context that in fact a diplomatic solution is not possible in these conditions, because the other side does not want a diplomatic solution. The other side wants a military solution. Therefore, we should focus more on military issues. The Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh are in existential danger." 

"People in Nagorno-Karabakh do not want to gain independence, because it is their whim or just a desire, but it is a vital necessity because what is happening now in Nagorno-Karabakh is, in fact, a process of genocide. The international community should be aware that this danger is serious not only in the context of Nagorno-Karabakh alone. And this threat, in fact, threatens not only Nagorno Karabakh, but the Armenians of the South Caucasus in general." [Nikol Pashinyan's interview to the Spanish EFE l / c]

22:30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Since this morning, several settlements were shelled.
• At the moment, the fight against subversive groups continues.
• In the southern direction, there is basically a military front along Vorotan river.
• Today the enemy tried to attack in the direction of Berdzor, as he approached the Armenian border, but they were repulsed.
• The war continues, its nature has changed a bit, there are no battles with the same intensity and speed, but there are difficult battles.

21:40 RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan received the delegation of the MPs from the French National Assembly. The Minister highly praised the visit of the French legislators and the solidarity shown for the Armenians of Artsakh during this difficult period. The French lawmakers shared their impressions of the meetings with high-ranking officials of Armenia and Artsakh during their visit. At the heart of the meeting was the situation created by the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

18:20 The statement of the Azerbaijani side about an alleged rocket attack carried out from the territory of Armenia in the direction of the Barda region is an absolute lie and a dirty provocation. No missile was fired from either the Armed Forces of Armenia or the Artsakh Defense Army in the mentioned direction. [Shushan Stepanyan]

18:00 The US Secretary of State had telephone conversations with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. "Mike Pompeo reiterated that there is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the State Department said, adding that "the Secretary-General urged Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev to adhere to their ceasefire commitments and reach a diplomatic settlement within the OSCE Minsk Group."

17:30 About 100 flights to Azerbaijan in a month. Military assistance by air continues

During the month-long war in Artsakh, military cargo transportation by air from Turkey and a number of other countries to Azerbaijan continues. Although Baku has long been preparing for large-scale hostilities, the number of aircraft supplying military equipment and other supplies to Azerbaijan has been growing throughout the war. According to various sources, Azerbaijan currently receives arms from Turkey, Israel and Belarus, and mercenaries are mainly transferred to the war zone from Syria. [fip.am]

16:40 The enemy targeted the southern border of Armenia. There are wounded. [MoD Armenia]

15։40 Today, the representatives of the Yezidi community staged a protest in front of the US Embassy in Armenia. The Yezidi community called on the US leadership to pay attention to the events in Artsakh and force Azerbaijan to cease hostilities. According to the organizers, the protest actions demanding the cessation of hostilities will be regular. [hetq.am]

15:30 Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Yerevan, Baku, Moscow and Ankara to promote Iran's initiative in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. [Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh]

14։00 Defense Army has released the names of another 36 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 1010.

13։30 "We must all fight. There is simply no other option. If we do not fight, our homeland will disappear before our eyes, we will lose our dignity and the right to be an independent nation, we will be cursed by future generations. So we have to fight. Let's reorganize, solve the existing problems, overcome ourselves and fight. And the victory will be ours." [Ararat Mirzoyan]

13։00 There are no casualties as a result of the enemy's aggression on the southern border of the Republic of Armenia. The Armenian side has already responded appropriatley. [Shushan Stepanyan]

10:30 "Today in the morning at approximately 10.00-10.15 a.m. the Azerbaijani side again violated ceasefire regime shelling the Armenian border guard positions located in the south-eastern direction, at the junction with Iran. The enemy also used combat UAVs, one of which fell in Armenia’s territory.
Having recorded the regular violation of ceasefire and the shelling of Armenia’s territory, Armenia’s Ministry of Defense reports that it will have to strike in response in the direction of Azerbaijani forces." [Shushan Stepanyan]

10:20 We would have definitive knowledge of which side violated the US-brokered ceasefire today if Azeris would allow international observers to monitor the line of contact, as prescribed by 2015 Royce-Engel agreement. State Secretary Pompeo must insist on this. [Co-Chair of the Armenian Affairs Committee of the US Congress Frank Pallone]

10:00 During the night, the situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone remained relatively stable and tense. Artillery battles continued in some areas.
In the evening, the enemy forces actively used unmanned aerial vehicles, some of which were shot down by the air defense forces of the Defense Army. The enemy continued shelling the peaceful settlements, in particular, the towns of Martuni, Martakert and the villages of Askeran region were targeted.
Currently, local battles are taking place in some directions of the front line. The units of the Defense Army continue to fulfill their combat tasks, keeping the operative-tactical situation under control. [Armenian Defense Army]

October 26 / Day 30

23:30 Today the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh Masis Mailyan met with the delegation of the MPs of the French Parliament. The Minister particularly praised the efforts of the President of the French Republic Emanuel Macron aimed at the restoration of peace and stability in the region.

The MPs of the French Parliament handed over to the NKR Foreign Minister the copy of the draft resolution on the recognition of the Artsakh Republic submitted to the French Parliament, which has already been joined by more than 50 members of the French Parliament. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh]

22:00 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• During the battles yesterday, the enemy managed to capture Kubatlu and advance in some directions.
• Early this morning, the Azerbaijani armed forces, joined by various terrorist organizations, as well as units of the armed forces of other countries, launched a large-scale offensive in the south-eastern direction, simultaneously shelling and bombing the cities of Artsakh. There is an official statement about civilians.
• During the whole day, those bandits did not manage to break through the front. The enemy seemed to be successful in some places, but our units managed to counter-attack and restore the front line.
• In the forested parts around the villages north of Hadrut, the search and destruction operations of subversive groups continued. Some subversive groups left their cars and fled, but fighting continued in several villages. 

16։30 Right now, there are heavy battles in the south-east of Artsakh. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

12:00 In today's video message, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that there are Turkish F-16 military planes in his country. He said that one can see from the satellite and be sure that they are on the ground and not in the sky.

"They came to take part in the military exercises, they stayed here when the war started. "Our Turkish brothers left them to support us morally," Aliyev said. "But if there is aggression against us from outside, they will see those F-16s."

12։00 Today, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, addressing his people in a video message, said that the Karabakh conflict must be settled either politically or militarily.

"I have suggested that if you want the conflict to be settled peacefully, we will stop the hostilities. But we must be told immediately that Armenia is leaving our lands. We must be presented with a schedule. Armenia did not present that schedule to us. "In that case, if the ceasefire continues and the conflict remains frozen, it is not in our interest," said Ilham Aliyev.
  

08:45 "Blatantly violating the humanitarian ceasefire agreement reached in the United States, the Azerbaijani side started artillery fire at the north-eastern battle positions of Artsakh at around 8:45." [Shushan Stepanyan]

08:30 "After reaching an agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire in the United States, which was to enter into force on October 26 at 08:00, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan hastened to accuse the Armenian side of a gross violation of the ceasefire even before 08:00, but deleted that information after a while. Minutes later, the Azeri Defense Ministry spread another misinformation, noting that Armenian forces were shelling Azerbaijani positions in the southern direction.
The Ministry of Defense of the Artsakh Republic states that the units of the Defense Army strictly follow the agreements reached, and the accusations of the hostile side not only have nothing to do with reality, but were made in the context of preparing information ground for the latter's further provocations." [Armenian Defense Army]

08:00 "As agreed in Washington with the mediation of the USA, the Armenian side will fully observe the ceasefire regime from 08:00." [Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan]

 

October 25 / Day 29

23։58 OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to meet in Geneva on October 29

23։50 BREAKING: According to the US State Department, official Yerevan and Baku have agreed to establish a humanitarian ceasefire, which will take effect on October 26 at 8 am local time.

22:30 The issue of recognition of Artsakh is among the initiatives of a group of French deputies

The issue of recognizing Artsakh is among the initiatives of a group of French deputies, Guy Gasparyan, an MP of the party founded by French President Emanuel Macron, said in response to Azatutyun's question today. The deputy, however, emphasized that at the moment the most important thing is the cessation of hostilities.

"Certainly, the issue of recognizing Artsakh is among our initiatives. The initiatives are signed by deputies of different parties. But you know that all the parliaments have quite busy schedules, and when this particular issue will be put on the agenda is difficult to say. "But before all the issues are discussed, one of the most important issues is the cessation of hostilities and the maintenance of the ceasefire," he said.

Gasparyan and a group of French deputies who arrived in Armenia today laid flowers at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial. It is not clear yet whether the delegation will pay a visit to Artsakh or not, although the purpose of the visit is to get acquainted with the situation in Armenia and Artsakh. "Our agenda has not been finalized yet. Everything depends on the situation. We all have a great desire to go to Artsakh. We want to go and see the situation in person, but we do not want to become a burden for the people who have to accompany us".

22։00 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Intensive military operations continued along the entire front today.
• The shelling started in the northern direction in the early morning, some military operations were carried out, which, however, are slightly inferior in intensity to the military operations in the southern direction.
• During the day, subversive groups were seen in several villages north of Hadrut, south of Martuni, including the forests near the village of Avetaranots. Search and eradication of subversive groups continued in other villages. They are still going on.
• During the whole day in the southern direction, in the north, in the direction of Sanasar, the enemy launched dozens of attacks in different directions, intensive fighting continued throughout the day, and heavy fighting is taking place at the moment.

21:50 The United States can easily reach a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, according to President Donald Trump.

Speaking at a rally in New Hampshire, the President noted that Washington is now making active efforts to negotiate with Yerevan and Baku. "We will settle everything. It will come easily if you know what you are doing."

"Armenians are a wonderful people, they are fighting with all their might, I want to tell you we will do something, go and pass this on to your people," Trump told the Armenian-Americans present at the rally, about a week before the presidential election. [azatutyun.am]

 

21։30 The United States are trying to persuade Azerbaijan to agree to a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, said Robert O'Brien, National Security Adviser to the US President.

O'Brien's statement reveals that the words of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that official Baku is ready for a ceasefire, as always, are another lie. Aliyev previously suggested that they are ready to agree to a ceasefire only if Armenia accepts their principles of settlement.

"On the instruction of the President, we spent the whole weekend trying to mediate the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia has agreed to a ceasefire, Azerbaijan has not yet. We urge them to do that," he said. [panarmenian]

20։30 The Catholicos of All Armenians calls to enlist in the army to protect the right of the people of Artsakh to a free and independent life

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II sent a message in which he noted that the war imposed by Azerbaijan, its attitude and actions once again prove that Artsakh can not be a part of Azerbaijan.

"The threat to our existence leaves us with no choice but to defend the right to a free and independent life of our people of Artsakh through the struggle of life and death, to re-establish peace, especially when the world is still reluctant to condemn the enemy's atrocities," he said while calling everybody to enlist in the army in defense of the homeland.

18:22 At this moment (at 18:22 - editor) a small Azerbaijani subversive group is on the outskirts of the village of Avetaranots. Our units are trying to neutralize it. [Spokesman for the President of Artsakh Vahram Poghosyan]

17։00 "According to the intelligence, the terrorists complain that the Azerbaijanis are taking away not only their passports but also their phones. We all understand why they do that." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

16:00 Artsakh ombudsman Artak Beglaryan stated that the analysis of the video released on October 24 proves that the footage of the Azeri soldier executing a severely wounded Armenian soldier is real. He wrote that the international community continues to remain blind, Azerbaijan continues to commit war crimes. [armenpress.am]

15։00 Defense Army has released the names of another 11 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 974.

11:30 US Congressman Frank Pallone after the meeting with the Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan

11։00 During the night, the situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone remained relatively stable and tense. Artillery battles continued in some areas.
In the evening, the enemy forces once again shelled the peaceful settlements, in particular, Karmir Shuka, Taghavard, Gishi, Spitakashen communities of Martuni region and Avetaranots village of Askeran region.
Currently, local battles are taking place in all directions of the front line. The units of the Defense Army continue the task of finding and destroying the enemy's subversive-intelligence groups.[Armenian Defense Forces]
 

October 24 / Day 28

 

22:30 Summary of the situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• This morning, the hostilities started again.There were no battles in the northern direction until noon. Heavy artillery fire started during the afternoon.
• In the central direction, from Martuni to the south, from Hadrut to the north, in the areas adjacent to the forests and settlements, today a subversive reconnaissance group was neutralized, but the battles in that part against the subversive groups continue.
• There were not many intense battles in the southern direction. The enemy has tried several times to carry out offensive operations in the form of small focal attacks, using different types of military vehicles. These attempts were stopped and the attacking forces were thrown back. In some places the enemy retreated. Several units of armored vehicles were destroyed.
• In general, today there was relatively less tension across the front.

22:00 The US Embassy has warned US citizens living in Baku about the threat of terrorism and kidnapping. The embassy urged its citizens to stay away from the JW Mariott Absheron hotel and other areas.

21:30 France has condemned the comments made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who questioned the mental health of French President Emanuel Macron. A French presidential official told AFP that France was recalling its ambassador to Turkey for consultations. The latter will meet with Macron to discuss the situation.

17։50 The British BBC investigated the abduction of Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijani special forces, and then the videos of their execution, confirming that they were filmed on October 9-15 in Artsakh, in Hadrut, where clashes took place. It is also mentioned that in the video of the capture, one of the soldiers speaks Russian with the captives, but with a heavy Azerbaijani accent, and with the other soldier, in Azerbaijani. [armenpress.am]

17:25 As a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, 90,000 people became refugees, said Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, RIA Novosti reported.

"We see that since September 27, the towns and villages of Nagorno Karabakh have been under drone, missile and air strikes. About 90,000 people have become refugees, lost their homes and property," Mnatsakanyan said.

“You are the individual and the head of state who has a huge reputation in the world, in our region. With all this in mind, we ask you to make every effort to end the war in the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict zone and resume political processes.”

15:00 "At around 14:20 in the afternoon, the enemy fired rockets from the Grad installation into the territory of Karegah community of Kashatagh region, then the Karegah-Berdzor road section. Apart from material damage, there are no casualties among the civilian population. There are no military facilities in this area.

At this moment the enemy forces are shelling Martakert. Military aviation is used on the city." [Artsakh State Emergency Service]

14:30 "Turkey has the right to participate in the Karabakh peace process as much as Russia has," Erdogan said after Friday prayers in Istanbul. At the same time, he noted that "Russia does not make any demands on Turkey's participation in the settlement of the conflict".

14:00 Defense Army has released the names of another 27 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 927.

11։20 30 members joined the resolution on Artsakh's independence circulating in the US House of Representatives

10։10 "The night of October 22-23 was turbulent in Martakert and Martuni region․
A fire started in two apartment building units in Martakert, due to the shelling of the city. The Martakert regional emergency department firefighters managed to stop the fire quickly, preventing it from spreading to other apartments. According to preliminary data, the enemy opened fire in this direction using Grad rockets. There were no casualties.

Towards the dawn, the villages of Karmir Shuka and Taghavard in the Martuni region appeared in the crosshairs of Azerbaijani armed forces. Smerch type missiles were used here.
At the moment, a number of villages in the Martuni region, including Karmir Shuka, are being shelled by smerch rocket launchers." [Artsakh Emergency Service]

10։00 The relatively stable-tense situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone did not change during the night. Artillery battles and skirmishes continued in some areas.
In the evening, once again grossly violating the norms of international humanitarian law, the enemy forces shelled Askeran, and in the middle of the night, targeted Martuni again.
Currently, local battles are taking place in all directions of the front line. The operation to find and destroy hostile subversive groups consisting of mercenary terrorists continues by the Defense Army units.

 

October 22 / Day 26

 

23։00 Bjørnar Moxnes, a member of the Norwegian parliament and leader of the Reds party, is urging the Norwegian government to stop selling weapons and defense equipment to Turkey.

"Norway can not sit idly by when NATO member Turkey is involved in creating a new humanitarian catastrophe in Nagorno-Karabakh, when tens of thousands of people are affected. As long as Erdogan supplies arms, drones and Syrian militants to Azerbaijan, Norway must stop selling weapons and defense equipment to Turkey," he said. [armenpress]

22։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• Today, throughout the day, the enemy continued its offensive operations in all directions along the entire border of Artsakh. Both the northern and central-southern directions were active.
• Combat operations were carried out in the central direction in the direction of specific settlements. These fierce battles, which followed the penetrations of various subversive groups into small settlements, road and junction points, are still going on.
• All attempts to advance were stopped, in some places they were thrown back, causing significant losses to the enemy, including losses of armored vehicles.

22։10 Defense Army has released the names of another 26 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 900․

20։40 No one is more interested in resolving Nagorno Karabakh conflict than Russia, according to the Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Russia has offered various solutions to the crisis, but no solution has been found."

Putin also noted that their approaches to the situation in Nagorno Karabakh do not align with Turkey's. The Russian President also stressed that if 30 years of negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh have not been successful, it does not mean that we should start firing.

Putin also noted that the Karabakh conflict started with brutal crimes against the Armenian people. "It is a fact that cruel crimes against Armenians took place first in Sumgait and then in Karabakh," he said. [azatutyun.am]

  

20։00 "The hostilities continue actively along the entire frontline. The Defense Army is currently fighting in the outskirts of the villages of Shekher and Jivani in the Martuni region. The enemy has great losses of manpower." [Speaker of the President of the Republic of Artsakh]

18։45 American company Viasat had assured the Armenian-American community that its products used for Bayraktar drones will no longer be supplied to Turkey. [azatutyun․am]

18։30 Russian military experts are monitoring the presence of foreign terrorists taking part in hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, according to the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova. "The issue worries us, we also talked about it in public, but I can assure you that non-public work is very active, because it is really a serious problem for us․" said Zakharova. [armenpress.am]

18։15 By the initiative of Mher Grigoryan, the Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, the proposal to expel some countries, including Turkey, from the list of states that are granted preferential terms of trade with the members of EAEU, will be included in the Agenda of the upcoming EEC Council session. 

18։00 Members of the International Association of Genocide Scholars see the threat of genocide in the war unleashed by Azerbaijan and Turkey against Artsakh. They issued a statement condemning the war waged by Azerbaijan and Turkey and suggested the recognition of the Artsakh Republic as a way to exclude genocide. They demanded that the international community make efforts to stop the Azerbaijani aggression, as well as the anti-Armenian state propaganda and hatred in Azerbaijan and Turkey. [armenpress.am]

17:30 Defense Army has released the names of another 40 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 874.

14:30 "The participation of third countries, including Turkey, in the existing format of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement depends entirely on the political will of the conflicting parties. It is possible to be part of the settlement of the conflict or to undertake a mediation mission only with the consent of all the sides. There are two sides: Azerbaijan and Armenia." [Spokesman for the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov]

14։00 The State Duma considers Russia's intervention in Nagorno-Karabakh possible through a landing operation. First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, MP Konstantin Zatulin stated that he is not sure how Moscow should act in the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Zatulin noted that Azerbaijan and Turkey are the instigators of the escalation in the region, they need to be reminded who dominates the post-Soviet space. [civilnet.am]

12:30 On October 20, the government imposed a temporary ban on the import of consumer goods of Turkish origin starting from December 31. The ban on the import of goods of Turkish origin terminates the financial supply of the Turkish state treasury from Armenian sources, at the same time preventing the penetration of possible dangers into Armenia through the import of final consumer goods from a hostile country.

12:20 "Serious battles continue in different directions. There are mainly local battles. Different groups of enemy troops are being neutralized." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10։30 “Today, the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan issued a manipulative statement, in which an attempt was made to attribute the position of Azerbaijan and Turkey, which rejects the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, to the Armenian side. The military aggression carried out by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh, with the direct involvement of Turkey and pro-Turkish terrorists, is aimed at annihilating the indigenous people of Artsakh, and from the very first day, is accompanied by numerous violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes. Under these circumstances ensuring the existential security of the people of Artsakh becomes an imperative. The Republic of Armenia consistently supports the unconditional implementation of the agreements on the cessation of hostilities set in the statements reached on October 10 and October 17, with the mediation of the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries. Consistently pursuing the position of excluding the military settlement of the conflict, we once again emphasize that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved exclusively by peaceful means, within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, which holds an international mandate. We call on Azerbaijan and its supporter Turkey not to undermine the efforts of the international community to establish a verifiable ceasefire regime, and not to engage in their traditional policy of blame shifting.” [Armenian MFA Spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan]

10:20 "The announcement of the Azerbaijani side on Armenia’s alleged launching of ballistic missiles in the direction of Gabala and Kurdamir is utter nonsense and a cynic lie. No missile has been fired from the territory of the Republic of Armenian in the direction of Azerbaijan." [Shushan Stepanyan]

10:05 The legislative body of New South Wales, one of Australia's largest states with a population of more than 7 million, has officially recognized the independence of Artsakh. According to the Armenian National Committee of Australia. The absolute majority of the legislators voted for the document - 61 deputies, 2 were against.

The parliamentarians of New South Wales also condemned the attacks of Turkey and Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Artsakh. [azatutyun.am]

10:00 "The situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone was relatively stable and tense during the night. Artillery battles continued in some areas.
Currently, local battles are taking place in all directions of the front line. In addition to fierce battles, the enemy also carried out subversive incursions in the central direction, which were successfully prevented by the Defense Army units.
The units of the Defense Army successfully prevent the hostile intentions to change the operative situation in their favor, and continue to fulfill their mission." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

 

October 21 / Day 25

 

23:40 Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay told CNN Türk that Turkey is ready to send troops to Azerbaijan if there is such a request. "Our president has spoken clearly about it from day one. Azerbaijan and Turkey have military cooperation agreements. If Armenia takes unexpected steps, if there is a request to send troops from Baku, Turkey will not hesitate, the president even less so" Oktay said. [azatutyun.am]

22:20 "I want to officially announce that we are starting a new movement, which we have called "National Movement 2․0", which will raise the already crystallized Armenia-Diaspora relations to a new level. It will contribute to the greater consolidation of pan-Armenian resources and insure a constant influx of financial flows to the Republic of Armenia. We called it "50PLUS". This movement has already started in our various communities. Our compatriots demand not only to send one-time contribution to Armenia, but also to get registered on the foundation's website, donating a certain amount of money to the Foundation every month. Imagine if 1 million people joined this movement, we would have $ 50 million in the Fund every month, if we take $ 50 as a standard. This way, we will give a big boost to the fundraising." [Executive Director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan]

22։00 "Today, early in the morning, the military operations continued in all directions. The hostilities were intense in the central direction as well. In the central direction, several subversive groups, the actions of which were also published by the Defense Army in a video, tried to enter our positions and advance, but after the precise fire of our artillery troops, they fled. There were mainly groups without armored vehicles." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:30 “It is too early to talk about the meeting of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as the Armenian side shows destructiveness in its approaches. As our President Ilham Aliyev noted, we have not received such an invitation. And, in my opinion, the situation has not matured yet. If such an initiative is presented, then, of course, it will be properly discussed, about which the society, of course, will be informed. Azerbaijan will resolutely defend its position on Karabakh, based on international law.”[Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu in an interview with TASS]

21:20 “NATO is not a party of this conflict. We are deeply concerned with the violations of the ceasefire agreement that lead to new casualties. It’s important that the sides demonstrate restraint, observe the ceasefire regime and sit around the negotiation table. During the meeting with President Armen Sarkissian, the current partnership between NATO and Armenia, the missions of Armenian peacekeepers within NATO were also discussed." [NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg] 

21:00 “This is a conflict not only between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there is a third country that supports Azerbaijan militarily and diplomatically. That country is Turkey, which also brings terrorists to the region. Unfortunately, that country is a member of NATO. If a NATO member that is Turkey will exit the conflict, then, I think, we will reach a ceasefire and be able to negotiate to find a peaceful solution to this conflict.” [Armenian President Armen Sarkissian at a briefing with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg]

16:40 Defense Army has released the names of another 62 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 834.

16:00 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's address to the nation. Selected quotes:

"I want to state that, in fact, we must clearly realize that the Karabakh issue, at least at this stage and starting from this phase, for a long period of time, has no diplomatic solution and we must consider all those hopes and proposals for the diplomatic solution over, particularly in this situation." 

"We have repeated many time, that we are ready to solve the issue through compromises. Compromise means that we can concede something than our bar, our national bar for the sake of the solution, If the other side concede something lower than their bar as well." 

"We feel the support of Russia as a strategic ally of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people. Russia has done its best and will continue to do so, I have no doubt "

"We have only one thing to do - take up arms and fight to the end for the rights of our people, so that in the end we can reach an acceptable solution through diplomacy, which will be final."

"The situation on the front line is quite complicated and difficult, military operations are taking place all over the south. The enemy throws the last reserves into battle.
Yes, their resources are great, but our army inflicts indescribable losses to the enemy and Azerbaijan does not agree to a humanitarian ceasefire for this reason as well, as it has losses of about 10 thousand. Azerbaijan is also afraid of the facts of the bodies of the killed mercenaries and Turkish servicemen."

15:20 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and his Azeri counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in Moscow on October 20-21. The urgent issues of the ceasefire agreement in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone reached earlier were discussed, as well as the creation of conditions necessary for a comprehensive settlement. [Russian Foreign Ministry]

13:10 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has canceled a pre-arranged interview with German Bild, according to the journalist Paul Rontzheimer.

"The President of Azerbaijan agreed to give an interview to Bild about the war in Karabakh. Now, however, he has suddenly canceled it. "What questions are you afraid of, Mr. President?" The German journalist wrote, reminding that both the President of Armenia and the Prime Minister have already given an interview to Bild. [azatutyun.am]

12:30 A resolution recognizing Artsakh's independence was introduced in the US Congress for the first time.

12:10 Armenian youth organized an art installation in Toronto, Canada. The war crimes committed by Turkey and Azerbaijan in Artsakh were presented in the language of images and silence. [Office of the High Commissioner for the Diaspora]

      

12։00 The Azerbaijani army continues to target peaceful settlements․ The town of Martakert is being shelled.

11։40 Today, President Armen Sargsyan started an official visit to Brussels. Meetings are scheduled with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, European Council President Charles Michel and other senior officials. The President plans to discuss with them the issues of military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, Turkey's open involvement in it, as well as the facts of Azerbaijani shelling of the border settlements of Armenia.

11:30 US Democrat Senator Ed Markey called on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to immediately reach a ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan and push for a negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "As long as Azerbaijan continues its attempts to resolve this conflict through the illegal use of military force, the international community has no alternative but to recognize the independence of the Artsakh Republic," he said. [shantnews.am]

9։00 "The path forward is one of liberty, which is why I am today calling for official U.S. recognition of the Republic of Artsakh’s independence." [US Congresswoman Grace Napolitano]

 

October 20 / Day 24

22:00 "Azerbaijani armed forces, subversive groups, small groups often penetrate mainly near-front settlements, which have not been inhabited for a long time, film a video there, spread the news, which is primarily intended to feed their own public, but it often affects our public. The situation is stable, controllable, some accumulations or subversive actions do not yet mean the advance or success of specific troops." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:30 "Our one successful counter-attacking operation didn't break the backbone of the Azerbaijani military forces, and there can be no talk of the surrender of Azerbaijan. And the same, if we withdraw from this line to the other line, where it is more convenient to defend, it does not mean that we are losing."[Artsrun Hovhannisyan in an interview with Public TV]

20:00 The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in his video message today that the war will continue until Armenia withdraws its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh. He said that before it is too late, Armenia should announce the withdrawal of its troops, after which hostilities may cease.

19։20 During the war, the Artsakh Defense Army shot down about a dozen Bayraktar Turkish drones. None of the damaged devices, however, fell in areas under the control of the Defense Army. It looks like we finally have a piece of Bayraktar, which shows that it was produced in September, and the modern camera was produced in Canada in June. Why is this important? This fact proves Turkey's direct involvement in the terrorist war against Artsakh and its preparations. And the countries that supply the necessary components for "Bayraktar" to Turkey, based on this fact, should follow the example of Canada and suspend further supplies. [Nikol Pashinyan]

19:00 "For us, this seems to be an ontological struggle. I was talking to the German media, I did not say it, but I was thinking about how the Israelis would feel if Germany never recognized the Holocaust and would start bombing Israel right now. That's how we feel. This is really insulting for us because Erdogan's government has not yet recognized the Armenian Genocide, instead, together with Azerbaijan they are attacking us. There is ethnic discrimination here, there is hatred." [Serj Tankian to Forbes] [factor.am]

16:00 "The enemy retreats in the southern direction to Khudaferin Reservoir, suffering heavy losses. We warned you are entering hell." [Shushan Stepanyan]

14:50 Defense Army has released the names of another 43 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 772.

13:45 Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh referred to the "disturbing" photos published from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, saying that Iran does not accept the beheading of people in the style of terrorists, as well as attacks on cities and innocent civilians. "We call on both sides of the conflict to abide by international rules," he said. [armenpress.am]

12:00 Mass destructions and atrocities committed by Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) are consequences of international and especially human rights organizations continuous denials to visit Artsakh, despite numerous calls, invitations and earnings from our side. They have to document all these violations physically being in Artsakh; they have to see and perceive everything in person.
It is time to prove that the principle “No one should be left behind and no human right ignored” being stated at very high levels, is not just a nice expression and an illusion, but a principle that protects real people in real life.
It is time to show that no one has canceled the right of a child to enjoy happy childhood; mother’s right to grow up her child in peace and the right of grandmothers and grandfathers to their lives in dignity; that no political reason can affect human rights protection. [RA Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan]

11:00 "I hope that after the meeting (UN Security Council - editor) there will be a statement that will put pressure on Turkey to end its involvement. I expect NATO and the European Union to put pressure on Turkey, Azerbaijan to end the war and start a ceasefire. When there is a ceasefire, everything is on the table. That is the whole point of having a Minsk Group with three co-chairs negotiating on everything, including seven regions, five regions, and finally, most importantly, the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh." [President Armen Sargsyan on France 24]

10:50 Armenia is fully committed to the ceasefire agreement reached yesterday. If you blame us, then I have a suggestion - Introduce verification mechanisms on the spot, force Azerbaijan to agree to them, then find the responsible. So they are the criminals. This is the policy of Azerbaijan - to accuse and to get the excuse to continue the aggression․ [Zohrab Mnatsakanyan to BBC]

10:30 "In the northern part, the enemy uses aviation and artillery. Intense heavy fighting continues in the southern direction. The units of the Defense Army take appropriate measures to stop the enemy's attack." [Shushan Stepanyan]

10:25 French lawmaker Valerie Boyer will submit a proposal to the Senate to recognize Nagorno Karabakh and condemn the actions of Turkey and Azerbaijan.

"To oppose Azerbaijan's attack on Nagorno-Karabakh means to oppose the spread of Turkish Islam in Europe," Boyer wrote on his Facebook page.

10:20 The units of the Artsakh Defense Army are fighting hard in the southern direction, in the Ishkhanadzor section. Vahram Poghosyan, spokesman for the Artsakh President, sid in a conversation with Armenpress.

10:00 The situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone was relatively stable and tense during the night. According to the Artsakh Defense Ministry, artillery battles continued in some areas.


October 19 / Day 23

21:00 The US Secretary of State will host the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington this weekend, Politico magazine reports, citing its State Department sources.

According to the report, Mike Pompeo will first meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov next Friday, then with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

"However, it is not clear yet whether a trilateral meeting is planned," Politico reports, noting that the State Department has not yet answered their written question. [azatutyun.am]

19:30 The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have announced that they would agree to a face-to-face meeting in Moscow. Pashinyan and Aliyev told TASS about this today during separate interviews.
"The Karabakh conflict must be settled exclusively in a peaceful way. I am ready to make all necessary efforts to achieve that result, including coming, meeting and negotiating," said the Armenian Prime Minister. Answering the same question, the President of Azerbaijan said: "Baku representatives are ready to meet in Moscow or anywhere else."

17:00  Defense Army has released the names of another 19 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 729․

16։00 Referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan may agree on a ceasefire control mechanism in the region in the near future. As reported by TASS, Lavrov said this at a press conference following a meeting with Council of Europe Secretary General Maria Pecinovich Burich.

15։30 Armenia accuses Turkey of bringing fighter jets and Syrian mercenaries to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has acknowledged that there are F-16 fighter jets in his country, but insisted that they were not used in combat. Sargsyan said he wanted to visit NATO headquarters in Brussels to "get explanations" as to why "a huge amount of Turkish weapons, drones and F-16s are involved in the process of bombing the Armenian civilian population." They are NATO-made weapons. The engines are from Austria, the aviation radio equipment is from Canada, the rocket parts are from Britain, etc. Ankara's actions in the Caucasus also pose a threat to the European Union. [President of Armenia Armen Sargsyan to POLITICO]

12։30 "The security of its citizens is the red line of Iran. The Armed Forces gave the necessary warnings, listened to the explanations of the other side. We have said that any aggression against Iran, even if it is a mistake, will be answered.՛ [Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman]

12։15 Sasun Mikaelyan, a member of the "My Step" faction of the National Assembly and chairman of the Yerkrapah Voluntary Union, wounded in the back and leg in Artsakh last night. His condition is assessed as stable. [armtimes.com]

12։00 "If the only solution to the current conflict is the recognition of Karabakh, there should be no hesitation ... I am personally in favor of self-determination. We must support Armenia in this ordeal and struggle. " [Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris]

09։05 "Armenians are good people, they love their country, they are also wonderful businessmen. On the way here I saw so many Armenians waving their beautiful flags. I envy the spirit of Armenians, Armenians have a strong spirit and great devotion to their country. We are working in some directions․" [US President Donald Trump]

09։00 RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan:
1. What is this war for? The status of Karabakh.
2. Could we have avoided this war? Yes, if we handed over the territories and agreed to the uncertain status of Karabakh, for an indefinite period of time, in the absence of a mechanism for further status adjustment.
3. Could we have reached Karabakh acceptable or any status through negotiations? No, because the last opportunity was exhausted in 2011 in Kazan.
4. Can we stop this war? Theoretically, yes, with a slightly worse formula of the version mentioned in point 2.
5. Can war solve the status of Karabakh? Yes, if we succeed in war.
6. Can we succeed in war? Yes, if we focus the national potential around that goal and sincerely and selflessly commit to that goal.

October 18 / Day 22

23։50 "On October 16, a soldier in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces called the brother of an Armenian soldier and informed him that his brother was with them, that they had beheaded him, and that the photo would be posted on the Internet. A few hours after the call, the brother found a photo of the killed soldier on his social network page. The belief is that the Azeri military posted the picture on the social network page after the assassination. The brother had two consecutive telephone conversations with the Azerbaijani military, during which a group of Azeri military tried to humiliate the brother of the killed soldier." [Republic of Armenia Ombudsman]

23։15 "If it becomes clear that Azerbaijan, which enjoys the support of Turkey, will not return to negotiations under any circumstances, then, naturally, Armenia will recognize the independence of Karabakh." [RA President Armen Sargsyan]

23:00 The members of the Council of the Haute-de-Seine department call on the President of the French Republic and the Government to reconsider the strategy of the French diplomacy and to expres the following position - France demands an immediate cessation of hostilities and respect for the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. Any further aggression by Azerbaijan can provoke France to provide diplomatic assistance to the NKR authorities after examining the circumstances. [Council of the Haute-de-Seine Department]

22։00 Excerpts from the briefing of Artsrun Hovhannisyan, representative of the RA Ministry of Defense

• It should be noted that Azerbaijan once again did not observe the ceasefire, which was brockered this time by the French side.
• Since early morning, the fighting continued in the same directions. From the beginning, on the northern side, once again, the enemy made an attempt to attack and was thrown back. At the same time, they tried to carry out offensive operations in two separate parts in the southern direction.
• Falling in one direction under the artillery fire of the Armenian armed forces, they fled, losing a significant amount of equipment, including a large amount of ammunition. 
• At the moment, the hostilities continue, the southern direction remains hot.
• This is a fifth generation war, with high-tech means, small mobile units, and with no separate military operations to protect the static lines. We will not mention specific lines, successes and setbacks. 

20։30 "The German press does not cover this war fairly, so we had to come here to see the reality with our own eyes. We visited the city of Shushi and saw that Azerbaijan had targeted the church. Today in Stepanakert we saw with our own eyes that residential buildings were shelled, near which there was no military unit or installation. We have registered that Azerbaijan, with the help of Turkey, has attacked the civilian population of Artsakh, which is a great crime against humanity." [German Bundestag member Steffen Kotré] [armenpress]

19։30 Defense Army has released the names of another 37 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 710․

12:00 Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia on Azerbaijan’s rejection of the mediation attempt of the International Committee of the Red Cross

After the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan reached an agreement on the establishment of humanitarian truce on October 18, 2020, an attempt was made to reach an agreement to withdraw the wounded soldiers from the battlefield, through the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

However, this step, undertaken in line with the letter and spirit of both the October 17 agreement and the October 10 Moscow agreement, was categorically rejected by Baku. 

The abovementioned attests to the fact that the Aliyev clan, which has turned itself into an instrument of Turkish expansionism in the region, is concerned only about holding grip on power and while being terrified of the inevitable perspective of facing accountable before its own people for unleashing a war and for the numerous lives it has claimed, tries to postpone the unavoidable moment of truth.

11:40 The video surveillance devices of the Artsakh Defense Army recorded the exact location and time of the enemy in the early morning hours of October 18, violating the ceasefire agreement and launching an attack on the Armenian positions. [Defense Ministry spokesman]

11:30 "The Armenian-Azerbaijani border is relatively calm. The statement of the Azerbaijani side that the units of the RA Armed Forces fired from large-caliber weapons along the border does not correspond to reality." [Shushan Stepanyan]

11:20 Armenians organized a "musical demonstration" near the Vienna Opera
A rally and candlelight vigil dedicated to the victims of the Artsakh war took place in Vienna today. The gathering under the slogan "Peace to Artsakh" was accompanied by the performance of Armenian musicians in the music capital.
World-famous cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, pianist Nare Arghamanyan, duduk player Aram Ipekjian, violinist Gayane Mirzoyan, singers Stella Grigoryan and Teresa Beglaryan performed at the Vienna Opera House.
The meeting was organized by the office of the Armenian National Committee and the Armenian Student Council of Austria. [mediamax]

11:00 Defense Army has released the names of another 40 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 673․

09:00 "During the night, in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone, in general, the humanitarian ceasefire was maintained, except for the period from 00:04 to 02:45 in the northern direction and from 02:20 to 02:45 in the southern direction, when the enemy forces used artillery and rocket launchers.
At around 07:20 in the morning, after an active artillery fire, the Azerbaijani armed forces started an attack in the southern direction. There are casualties on both sides.
The entire responsibility for the escalation of the situation on the front line falls on the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan." [Defense Army]

00:20 "The situation on the front line calmed down" [Spokesperson for the President of Artsakh Vahram Poghosyan]

October 17 / Day 21

 

11:59 "If Azerbaijan respects the schedule for the humanitarian ceasefire, the Defense Army is ready to provide a humanitarian corridor to the surrounded Azerbaijani troops." [Spokesperson for the President of Artsakh Vahram Poghosyan]

11:59 "Both sides must adhere to this ceasefire strictly, without preconditions. France will follow it with great attention and will continue to be involved. The agreement was made possible by the recent mediation efforts of France, which were agreed with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs." [Emanuel Macron]

10:30 BREAKING: The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan have agreed to a humanitarian truce as of October 18th, 00h00 local time.
This decision was taken following the statement of the Presidents of the French Republic, the Russian Federation and the United States of America, representing the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, of 1 October 2020, the Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group of 5 October, and in line with Moscow Statement of 10 October 2020.



15:10 "The past two weeks of hostilities have shown that Azerbaijan underestimated the potential of the Armenian armed forces. And this is in the conditions when we notice that the developments are not in favor of Azerbaijan in the international arena. In the Western media, Azerbaijan is accused of human rights violations, attacks on historical and cultural monuments and unarmed civilians. Also new resolutions are being adopted to put pressure on Azerbaijan." [Caucasus expert Ahmad Kazemi]

15։00 Azerbaijani losses so far:

09:00 "The RA anti-aircraft defense systems registered flights of Azerbaijani drones in the direction of Khnatsakh, Artsvanik, Davit Bek settlements of Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia, during which they hit the RA Armed Forces infrastructure on the spot, damaging also civilian infrastructures. Fortunately, there are no casualties." [Shushan Stepanyan]

09։00 "During the night the situation on the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone has been relatively stable, but tense.
The operational-tactical situation did not change significantly. At dawn, the forces of the adversary once again violated the humanitarian ceasefire by resuming shelling in the direction of peaceful settlements. The civilian infrastructures of Stepanakert and Shushi were more intensively hit. The subdivisions of the Defence Army carried out equivalent operations to stop adversary fire. At the moment the subdivisions of the Defense Army are in control of the operational-tactical situation." [Armenian Unified Infocenter]


​October 16 / Day 20
 

22։20 "Russia is a strategic partner of Armenia and a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. Our expectation is that Russia will take more active, concrete steps to stop these offensive actions by Azerbaijan and Turkey in the region. And I think that the other OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and the international community in general, should help in those efforts.
In this situation, the Karabakh issue has one solution: secession for the sake of salvation." [Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's interview to Libération]

22։00 CORRECTION: The civilian in Shosh was injured not killed.
"Stepanakert and other communities of Artsakh are being shelled again. A civilian was killed in Shosh community." [Artsakh Information Headquarters]

21։50 "For the first time today, the enemy fired rockets at Stepanakert." [Artsakh Ombudsmen Artak Beglaryan]

20:00 "The principle of "secession for salvation", which is the modern manifestation of the principle of self-determination of peoples, entitles certain groups, peoples, to secede from any state when there is a risk of discrimination, widespread human rights violations or genocide, and excludes joining that state if the union will lead to the same consequences as above.
In particular, this should be the basis of our concept for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, and the involvement of mercenary terrorists in the current war, the terrorist practices of Turkey and Azerbaijan provide a real opportunity to achieve such an international understanding.
We must focus the potential of all Armenians on the solution of this problem." [Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan]

18:30 "Recently, when the NKR Defense Army launched a pre-emptive strike on the city of Ganja, the Azerbaijani authorities organized a visit of foreign Ambassadors to the city. But I want to say that so far no foreign diplomat has visited Stepanakert or other cities in Karabakh to witness the enormous devastation caused to the civilian infrastructure as a result of 19 days of shelling and rocket fire first hand. Civilian infrastructure, people's homes and buildings are being destroyed. Only a handful of foreign journalists have covered it all." [Interview of RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to RTS]

18։30 "Armenia has always been ready to compromise, but compromise means compromise on both sides. The problem is that Azerbaijan has never been ready to make any concessions, this is the reason why the situation is developing by this logic, by this course. And I think now too, Azerbaijan is not ready to compromise, especially because Turkey is largely in control of the process, including in Azerbaijan. And for Turkey, this is not just a matter of settling the Karabakh issue, but a matter of continuing the new Turkish imperialist policy."[Interview of RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to RTS]

15։10 Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias arrived in Armenia today with an official visit.

At a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, he stated, in particular, that Turkey's involvement in the Karabakh conflict worries Greece, "there is such a concern" at the international level. Nikos Dendias also expressed concern that the agreement reached in Moscow to establish a ceasefire is not being implemented.[azatutyun.am]

15:00 Russia has started military exercises in the Caspian Sea today. The Russian Defense Ministry told reporters that 6 missile warships, 7 planes and more than 400 servicemen are involved in the exercise. "The exercise will be held in the central part of the Caspian Sea, north of the Apsheron Peninsula," the statement said, without specifying the date of the exercise.

14։30 The Ministry of Defense of RA informs that no missile was fired in the direction of the Ordubad region of Nakhichevan, this is another lie of the Azerbaijani military-political leadership, which aims to expand the geography of the conflict. [MoD of the Republic of Armenia]

14։00 Azeri POWs were getting medical assistance in the hospitals that were shelled by the Azerbaijani forces.

12:40 On October 15, about twenty deputies called to the French authorities to "immediately" recognize the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The text of the resolution reaffirms "the absolute need to ensure the full sovereignty of Nagorno-Karabakh, outside any administrative unit of Azerbaijan, which threatens the extermination of the Armenian population, with final borders to be determined via multilateral negotiations with the participation of the Artsakh authorities." [lragir.am]

12։30 The City Council of Milan, Italy, has recognized the independence of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and condemned the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression, according to City Council member Matteo Forte.
The urgent motion on recognizing Artsakh has been passed in the City Council unanimously. According to the motion, the City Council tasked the Milan Mayor and the city’s executive authorities to ask Italy’s national authorities to recognize the Republic of Artsakh. “The recognition can lead not only to the restoration of justice, but also to the end of silence which has long becoming an accomplice to crime”, the City Council said.

12:20 "Early in the morning, the Armenians of Europe initiated an unprecedented protest action. Our compatriots keep the interstate highways of the following directions closed: from France to Spain, from France to Belgium, from Belgium to the Netherlands, from France to Switzerland, from the Netherlands to Germany, Luxembourg - Belgium - France, France - Italy, Germany - Denmark.
The Armenians demand the international recognition of Artsakh and the condemnation of the Turkish-Azerbaijani terrorist aggression" [Office of the High Commissioner for the Diaspora]

12:00 Defense Army has released the names of another 29 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 633․

10։40 With Turkish and Azerbaijan shelling of Artsakh and Armenia intensifying, over 100 U.S. Senate and House members have demanded an end to the aggression, with growing calls to sanction the Erdogan and Aliyev regimes for war crimes committed during the onslaught, now in its third week, reported the Armenian National Committee of America. 

Comprehensive list of U.S. Senate and House statements here

10։30 "Militant nationalism and authoritarianism can neither solve our domestic problems nor help the region. A better choice for my country will always be to seek regional peace and cultivate better ties with our neighbors. Turkey must encourage Armenia and Azerbaijan to return to peace talks and facilitate a lasting settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute."

"But I am not naïve, and I know that only a democratic Turkey can help stabilize its region and act as a responsible member of the international community. That is why I will not remain silent in the face of threats and will keep on fighting for democracy here and peace abroad." [Garo Paylian's Opinion piece in New York Times, full version here]  

10։20 "There is such a red line for compromise, that red line is the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination. And Armenia has always been ready for such a compromise. The most famous initiative is the Kazan initiative, when Armenia was ready for a concrete compromise. But Azerbaijan refused to sign these agreements because it did not want to accept the right of the Artsakh people, the Artsakh Armenians for self-determination." [Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's interview with Dmitry Kiselyov]

10։05 The Luxembourg parliament unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the hostilities unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh, calling on the government to clearly condemn all military actions that contradict the 1994 ceasefire, condemning any foreign intervention aimed at one of the conflicting parties, in particular Turkish military assistance to Azerbaijan and supporting ceasefire initiatives in Nagorno-Karabakh. [shantnews.am]

10։00 The night in Stepanakert was relatively calm, the city was not shelled.

Yesterday, however, after 4 pm, the capital of Artsakh was again targeted by rockets. In the center of the city, a Smerch rocket exploded near one of the civil institutions. Fortunately, there are no casualties.

A civilian was killed in a cluster bomb blast in the village of Karmir Shuka in the Martuni region last night. The car was reduced to ashes and the driver died.

The number of civilians killed in Artsakh since the start of hostilities on September 27 has already exceeded 30. 

09:40 French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian criticized Turkey's role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkey supports Azerbaijan against Armenians, France's top diplomat said at a joint news conference with his German and Polish counterparts on Thursday.

"There will be no military victory in this matter, so a ceasefire must be implemented," he was quoted as saying by Reuters. According to the French official, Turkey is the only country that is against the ceasefire. "Today we see that the only country that does not call for a ceasefire is Turkey, which harms the process," said Jean-Yves Le Drian.

During the press conference, the French and German foreign ministers accused Turkey of continuing its provocations against the European Union in the Mediterranean and urged it to clarify its position in the coming weeks. "It is clear to us that Turkey is constantly carrying out provocative actions that are unacceptable," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.[azatutyun.am]

   

09։00 "Early in the morning, after about an hour of intense shelling, the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in the northern direction. They tried to occupy our positions several times with attacking waves, but due to the courage and skill of the Armenian soldiers, they were repulsed with significant losses." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

October 15 / Day 19
 

22։30 "Today, early in the morning, the enemy again initiated attacks in two-three directions.
Tense battles took place throughout the day, especially in the southern direction, in the area near the Araks river, where our troops showed heroic resistance to the enemy.
There are losses on both sides. The enemy suffered a significant number of losses, in some areas it was possible to throw them back.
The situation continues to be difficult. The enemy uses a very large number of forces, especially infantry, non-stop attack groups, non-stop artillery fire, various means of airforce.
There is some weakening of the fire at night, but in the morning the attacks resume." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:50 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced hope Thursday that Armenia would "defend" itself against Azerbaijan, appearing to show sympathy to one side over the fierce clashes.

"We're hopeful that the Armenians will be able to defend against what the Azerbaijanis are doing," Pompeo said in an interview with WBS radio in Atlanta.

21:00 "Today the Human Rights Defender of Armenia has obtained two video, as well as photo evidence illustrating Azerbaijani military’s inhuman, cruel treatment of Armenian prisoners of war. In these videos members of Azerbaijani army humiliate prisoners of war at maximum and then brutally kill them with extreme cynicism. The behavior and speech of Azerbaijani army members are full of hatred.
The videos have been released from Azerbaijani sources today and have been widely spread, also by targeting children and elderly.
Afterwards, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released a statement denying any relation to their military. Following this statement, Azerbaijani internet sources started to remove the videos.
The videos have been duly documented by the Office of the Human Rights Defender, being undeniable war crime evidence. Experts of the Human Rights Defender’s Office have accurately identified location and time of Azerbaijani criminal activities. Videos have been translated and already incorporated as subtitles.
The above mentioned video and photo evidence will be sent to international bodies with necessary descriptions."[Armenia Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan]

20:30 At the beginning of the recent hostilities, the President of Azerbaijan, speaking about the Armenians of Karabakh, said: "We will expel those dogs, we will drown them in their own blood." In these conditions, Azerbaijan has definitely lost the moral right to consider the people of Artsakh their citizens. In this respect, international law envisages the principle of "separation for the sake of salvation". This principle is the core of the argument that, for example, forced the international community to recognize Kosovo's independence. [Interview of the Permanent Representative of Artsakh in France to Opinion Internationale]

19:30 The European Court of Human Rights in Armenia is focusing on the video of the alleged execution of Armenian prisoners of war spreading in the Azerbaijani media. Based on this, materials are prepared for applying to the ECHR, according to the representative of the Republic of Armenia in the ECHR Yeghishe Kirakosyan. The existence of the video was also confirmed by the Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan․

14։00 Defense Army has released the names of another 49 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 604․

12։00 "We have no mercenaries. This is our official announcement. Two weeks have passed since the beginning of the conflict, and no state has provided us with any evidence yet. I think if there is no evidence, then all the rumors should remain in the past. Turkey has no military participation. We use military equipment created in Turkey, it is true, but at the same time, we use military equipment created in Russia, Israel and other countries. Turkey does not participate in the process in any way, except in the political sphere."[Ilham Aliev in an interview with France 24]

10:05 The sappers have already removed 300 mm Smerch missiles from near busy roads in several areas of Stepanakert to move them to a safe place and to destroy them. The works will continue in the coming days and, after a complete ceasefire, in the regions as well. [Artsakh Emergency Situations Ministry]

10։00 "Relatively stable tensions remained in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone overnight. In the morning, the enemy resumed active artillery fire in the northern and south-eastern directions." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10։00 According to The Washington Post they met the family members of the mercenaries at the Turkish-Syrian border checkpoint while they were waiting for the bodies of about 53 Syrian men killed at the line of contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. According to the relatives of the killed, they were mercenaries recruited by Turkish-backed militants in Syria and sent to Azerbaijan to fight against the Armenian side. The mercenaries said in telephone conversations with their relatives that the Turkish-backed forces are the ones, who had promised their monthly salaries. [armenpress.am]

09։00 SNA Fighter recently returned from Azerbaijan:"My cousins and I have fought in Syria this whole war, and we have never seen anything like this. In one battle, 45 of us were on a small hill. One sniper killed 8 Sultan Murad and 2 Hamza. The snipers are like we see in movies" [Lindsey Snell on Twitter]
According to Acrtsrun Hovhannisyan, most Armenian snipers are women.

October 14 / Day 18

 

23:20 Egypt has announced the formation of a joint alliance with Greece, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates and France to counter Turkey's provocative actions in Libya and in the Mediterranean. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the five-party bloc announced it would focus on countering illegal Turkish drilling in Cypriot waters and criticized violations of Greek airspace. The alliance also criticizes Turkey's participation in hostilities in Libya. [razm.info]

23։00 Through the efforts of the Armenian community in the United States, 100 tons of humanitarian aid has been collected to Artsakh and Armenia, the transfer of which has been delayed due to Turkey, said Zareh Sinanyan, Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs. He noted that Turkey does not allow humanitarian aid to reach Armenia through its airspace.

22:30 "Never has the leadership of the Azerbaijani army shown such disrespectful attitude towards its own victims and bodies? They are left in the fields, canyons and swamps." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

22:30 "Unfortunately, I do not have information about our POVs. The Azerbaijani side does not provide any information. There are also Azeri captives on the Armenian side, but there is no detailed information on their number or condition." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

22։00 Defense Army has released the names of another 23 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 555․

20:30 The leaders of Russia and Turkey had a telephone conversation today to discuss the situation in Karabakh in detail.

According to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin expressed hope that Ankara, as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, will play a constructive role in the settlement of the conflict. "Both sides underlined the importance to implement the agreement reached in Moscow on October 10 to establish a humanitarian ceasefire. 

The Russian President expressed serious concern over the involvement of militants from the Middle East in hostilities, stressed the urgent need to unite efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement. The phone conversation took place on the initiative of the Turkish President. [azatutyun.am]

18։00 BREAKING: Azerbaijan targets a civilian hospital

14:00 "Today, now, at this crucial moment, each of us must focus on realizing this task․ Artsakh, the soldier, the army, the front line. This is what should be the focus of our efforts, both in the Diaspora and in Armenia. We must turn our mourning into anger, our fears into determination, our doubts into action. We must win, we must live, we must build our history and we are building our history, our new epic, our new heroic battle, our new Sardarapat. And so, long live the freedom, long live Armenia, long live Artsakh, long live the Armenian army, long live the Armenian volunteer, long live the Armenian Diaspora, long live the Armenian people, and long live our children who will live in a free and happy Armenia, in a free and happy Artsakh. Glory to the heroes!" [RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan]

14:00 "It is impossible to break the Armenian people, it is impossible to intimidate the Armenian people, it is impossible to defeat the Armenian people. We will stand until the end, we will fight until the end, and the name of that end is Free and Happy Artsakh, Free and Happy Armenia." [RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan]

13:55 The Russian military is participating in the verification of information on Azerbaijan's attack on the territory of Armenia. "Our military department is checking the information, they are in constant contact with their counterparts in both countries. You know that the Minister of Defense had telephone conversations with his counterparts from both countries.This information is being checked and analyzed," said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president.

13։50 French MP Francois Pouponi announced that he's going to submit to the country's parliament the resolution on the recognition of Artsakh's independence, which has already been signed by several deputies. He also noted that in 10 days the parliamentary delegation headed by him will travel to Armenia to show France's support.

13:30 "Today is the crucial moment. To defend our homeland or not, to live with honor or to give up. We need to live with dignity, being extremely thankful for your material support, I still call for your physical participation. The enemy managed to penetrate our defenses, to have an advantage in some areas, to move the front to deeper areas. We understand that there is only one way to force a ceasefire on the enemy, it is to impose a ceasefire." [President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan]

13:00 Peacekeepers must be deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh to monitor the ceasefire, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He is convinced that a political settlement in Karabakh is possible. The Russian military observers may be included in the ceasefire control mechanism in Nagorno Karabakh, the Russian Foreign Minister added.

12։05 Azerbaijani losses so far

12:00 The enemy continues to violate the humanitarian ceasefire, once again targeting peaceful settlements and villages. In particular, in addition to shelling the city of Martakert, the enemy has also used military aircraft in that direction. Defense Army units take appropriate actions to silence the enemy. [Armenian Unified Infocenter]

10։40 Statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia
On October 14, the Azerbaijani armed force has targeted the military equipment on combat alert in the territory of the Republic of Armenia adjacent to the border with Qaravachar. The attack was carried out based on the mere assumption that the subject equipment was allegedly going to strike at Azerbaijan’s civilian settlements. It goes without question that this allegation is devoid of any basis. In actuality, the politico-military leadership of that country avails itself the right to target military equipment on combat duty in the territory of Armenia on sheer assumptions only. Once again reiterating that this far not a single missile, shell or projectile has been fired in the direction of Azerbaijan, we concurrently state that within the same logic the Armenian Armed Forces henceforth preserve the right to target any military installations and combat movements in the territory of Azerbaijan. The whole responsibility for altering the zone and logic of military operations lies with the politico-military leadership of Azerbaijan. Fortunately, no killed or wounded are reported.

10։30 "I am extremely alarmed by reports of continued aggression in Nagorno-Karabakh. My heart is with those who have lost loved ones.
There can be no military solution to this conflict. The Trump Administration must do more to bring about a ceasefire, end Turkey and Iran’s involvement, put monitors on the ground, and resume talks on a lasting diplomatic resolution. Immediate action is necessary to save lives." [Kamala Harris]

10։20 NAGORNO-KARABAKH – STATEMENT BY VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
I am deeply concerned by the collapse of the October 10 ceasefire and the resumption of fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh. Drones, mortars and long-range artillery are claiming hundreds of lives on both sides of the line of contact and displacing thousands of civilians. Inexplicably, the Trump Administration has been largely passive, and disengaged, throughout this recent period of escalation. Since the outbreak of hostilities on September 27, neither President Trump nor Secretary of State Pompeo has placed a single phone call to the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, even as the region goes up in flames. Rather than delegating the diplomacy to Moscow, the administration must get more involved, at the highest levels, by working with our European partners to de-escalate the fighting and return the two sides to negotiations. The Trump Administration must tell Azerbaijan that it will not tolerate its efforts to impose a military solution to this conflict. It must make clear to Armenia that regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be occupied indefinitely and that credible negotiations on a lasting resolution of the conflict must commence immediately once a ceasefire is concluded. Finally, it must stop coddling Ankara and tell both Turkey and Iran to stay out of this conflict. Turkey’s provision of arms to Azerbaijan and bellicose rhetoric encouraging a military solution are irresponsible. A diplomatic resolution will not be easy to achieve, but the Trump Administration has an obligation to try. It should do so urgently before more lives are lost and the conflict expands.

09։00 “Relatively stable tension remained at the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone overnight. Artillery battles continued with varying intensity in some areas. In the morning, the enemy resumed artillery shelling in the south, south-east, north, north-east directions, violating the humanitarian ceasefire, with high intensity, especially in the south-east, north-northeast. The units of the Defense Army are taking adequate actions in all directions of the front line to stop the offensive activity of the enemy, continuing to confidently carry out the sacred mission of defending the borders of the homeland.” [Defense Army]

October 13 / Day 17
 

22:30 "We tried to implement the ceasefire agreement in only one place, we allowed hem to take several bodies, we also took ours, and then the process was stopped immediately, because the ceasefire was violated, the international guarantees were not respected." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

22։30 "The situation in Hadrut is that since the area is mountainous, forested, separated at some areas, the penetration of diversion and subversive groups is not ruled out. These groups appear from time to time against which our Defense forces lead successful operations." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

22։30 “Early in the morning, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched large-scale offensive operations along almost the entire Artsakh border, in at least three or four directions, especially the northern direction, where tense battles took place during the day. After extensive shelling, they launched a large-scale attack using armored vehicles. Today was probably one of the hardest battles during the whole war.”[Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

20:45 Evoking these "16 days and 16 nights of horror" in Nagorno-Karabakh, Danièle Cazarian (LaREM) asks the Government to say "stop the warmongering of Ankara which carries a major risk of internationalization of the conflict" and abandon a position of strict neutrality. [French National Assembly]

20:40 Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

GENEVA/MOSCOW, 13 October, 2020 The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) released the following statement today:

The Co-Chairs note with alarm the continuing violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Co-Chairs call on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to take immediate steps to execute in full the obligations of the sides according to the October 10 Moscow statement, in order to prevent catastrophic consequences for the region.
The Co-Chairs reiterate that civilian casualties are unacceptable under any circumstances. The Co-Chairs call on the sides to implement the humanitarian ceasefire immediately to allow the return of remains, prisoners of war, and detainees, and appeal to the sides to agree urgently upon a ceasefire verification mechanism.
Following conversations with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, the Co-Chairs are working with the sides on the substantive issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh political settlement process in order to reach a negotiated solution.

18։45 Official Athens has once again criticized Turkey, insisting that Ankara prefers to "escalate tensions" instead of dialogue. The statement was made today at a joint press conference of Greek and Canadian Foreign Ministers."Yesterday, announcing that it is launching research only 6 miles from our borders, the Turkish leadership has shown that it is not a reliable partner," said Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.

EU member states warned yesterday that they are ready to impose sanctions on Turkey in December if Ankara does not suspend its activities in the Mediterranean. The German Foreign Minister canceled his earlier visit to Ankara as a sign of protest.

18:00 "In response to your many questions, I would like to inform you that in these days of heroic resistance of the Defense Army against the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression, the military-industrial companies are working hard. From repairing damaged military equipment to the production of strike and defense equipment, from testing samples in military situations to solving new problems. This also applies to the development of strike-reconnaissance UAVs. Unfortunately, I can not provide more detailed information, but we can state that a lot of work is being done at a much faster rate than planned due to the special situation and in order to make it available to the armed forces as soon as possible." [Minister of High-Tech Indsutry Hakob Arshakyan]

16։30 The Turkish Foreign Minister stated that the international calls for a ceasefire in Karabakh are reasonable, but the superpowers must urge Armenia to withdraw its troops from "Azerbaijani territories."

After a meeting with his Swedish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu said today that talks with 11 members of the OSCE Minsk Group will be useful for the settlement of the conflict.

"As Sweden takes over the chairmanship of the OSCE, I presented this proposal to my Swedish counterpart," said Cavusoglu.

The Minsk Group formed after the establishment of the ceasefire in 1994, the member countries are Belarus, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, as well as Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia, France and The United States has the status of co-chairs.[azatutyun.am]

16:15 Official Tbilisi continues to insist that no military cargo is transported to Armenia and Azerbaijan through its territory. "The airspace is open only for flights for humanitarian and commercial purposes," Deputy Foreign Minister Lasha Darsalia said today. [azatutyun.am]

16։00 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to implement the ceasefire agreements and to stop targeting civilian areas such as Ganja and Stepanakert.

"We regret the loss of lives and remain committed to a peaceful settlement," the US diplomat wrote on his Twitter page.

15:00 Azerbaijan claims to fully respect the humanitarian ceasefire. "The Azerbaijani army is not firing or attacking. Our armed forces are fully following the humanitarian ceasefire agreements," the Defense Ministry said, according to Interfax.

The Armenian side, meanwhile, claims that this morning the Azerbaijani armed forces continue firing rockets in the southern, northern, northeastern and eastern directions.

14:20 A suicide drone belonging to Azerbaijan crashed in the village of Uzuntepeh near the town of Parsabad in Iran's border province of Ardabil at 7:30 am today, October 13.

14։00 The Russian Defense Minister is concerned about reports that terrorists are moving to the Karabakh conflict zone from the Middle East. Sergey Shoigu expressed his concerns during a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar yesterday. [TASS]

11։50 "Azerbaijan’s complete disregard for the recent call to ceasefire against Artsakh is only one of many reasons the US must end all military aid to Azerbaijan, sanction Azeri officials responsible for the loss of hundreds of lives, and reconsider our diplomatic relations with Turkey. For two weeks now, they have aggressively violated human rights and continue to escalate violence against Armenians. The US must stand against terror and act now." [US Congressman TJ Cox on Facebook]

11:30 Israel's Supreme Court has rejected a motion to ban arms sales to Azerbaijan because of "insufficient evidence" to hear the lawsuit, The Jerusalem Post reported. The motion was presented by Israeli activist Elie Joseph, who went on a hunger strike to protect against the arms sales to Baku. As evidence, Joseph presented media reports that 60 percent of Azeri weapons came from Israel and that Israel had moved weapons to Azerbaijan a few days before and during the current escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. [The Jerusalem Post]

11։20 Within the framework of his official visit to Russia, Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan met with the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman, as well as with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. [Armenia MFA Spokeswoman]

11:00 According to the Defense Army the list of killed servicemen published on October 12 and 13 contained a number of inaccuracies. In particular, 10 names mentioned in the lists of casualties, are in fact alive. The Defense Army offers its apologises. 
The total number of confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side is reviewed down to 532.

10:40 Defense Army has released the names of another 17 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 542.

09։40 "Do you think that 3 million Armenians, together with Artsakh, have launched aggression against 8 million Azerbaijan and 80 million Turkey? Any dispute must be resolved exclusively by peaceful means. The people of Artsakh are now in danger of becoming victims of the genocide, because all the cities of Artsakh are under heavy shelling, many innocent people have died, and international journalists are being attacked. We are dealing with an international aggressor supported by Turkey." [Vladimir Vardanyan at the PACE enlarged sitting]

09:30 "In the morning, the Azerbaijani forces launched attacking operations in almost all directions." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

October 12 / Day 16

23:25 If Azerbaijan has chosen to use force as a method of advancing conditions or achieving its own maximalistic goals, then there will be neither a peaceful settlement nor peace in the region. That method has been rejected, it will be rejected very definitievly. As for Turkey's active role, sorry, at the moment, Turkey's active role is reflected in the presence of foreign armed terrorists in our region, in the active military support to Azerbaijan.
If Azerbaijan chooses to use force, there will be neither a peaceful settlement nor peace in the region [Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan]

23:02 There are at least 31 victims among the civilian population, according to Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan

23:00 The Rescue Service sapper groups of the Artsakh Emergency Situations continue to search for unexploded munitions and neutralise them.
Approximate 673 Turkish and Israeli rocket-propelled grenades have already been found in Stepanakert alone.
Per the instruction of the rescue service director, Colonel Karen Sargsyan, the sappers transported the unexploded ordnance outside the capital for safe disposal.
The process was covered by Armenian and foreign media representatives.

  

22:40 Talish and Hadrut are not under Azerbaijani control - Artsrun Hovhannisyan

The statements of the Azerbaijani leadership that they were ready to fulfill the ceasefire agreements are false, Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan told a news conference.

"Early this morning, the Azerbaijani armed forces resumed hostilities. Azerbaijan has not fulfilled the agreements reached in Moscow and is not going to fulfill them," he said.

The representative of the Ministry of Defense mentioned that the subversive reconnaissance operations of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the direction of Hadrut were stopped. "The city of Hadrut is under the full control of our armed forces. The hostilities continue until late," Hovhannisyan said, adding that there were subversive groups near Hadrut, and there may be at the moment. It should be noted that official Baku announced that it had captured Hadrut.

To the question of "Azatutyun" that Euronews published a video today, in which, according to them, they show the village of Talish occupied by Azerbaijan, does it confirm that the village is under the control of Azerbaijan, the representative of the Ministry of Defense answered. "The village is not under Azerbaijani control, the Azeri troops are on the outskirts of the village, as we have rearranged the respective troops in the northern direction in the direction of Talish-Mataghis, so it is possible they managed to filmcan such videos."

20:30 Defense Army has released the names of another 45 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 525.

19։10 The Council of Europe is in favor of establishing an immediate ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh. The statement came from Greek First Deputy Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis at an enlarged meeting of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe today.

"The conflict has been taken to a completely new level. We can no longer tolerate hostilities! Our priority should be the establishment of a ceasefire. The second issue is the return of the parties to the negotiating table under the auspices of the OSCE," said the Greek diplomat. [azatutyun.am]

18:00 Defense Army has released the names of another 51 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 480.

17:10 International "Petition for Peace" Signed by Over 500 Artists, Scientists, Professionals
“We, the undersigned, call on the international community, the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the citizens of the Republic of Turkey to demand an immediate cease-fire to stop the war launched against Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia.”
The full open letter calling for an immediate ceasefire is published in full on www.wecallforpeace.com in seven languages.
American professor and Armenologist James Russell, Turkish professor and historian Taner Akcam, French writer Jean-Claude Carrier, Jazz singer Datevik Hovanesian, Actor and director Simon Abkarian, German professor and Caucasian-Iranian scholar Jost Gippert, UK Film Director and Producer Ebrahim Golestan are among the artists, cultural figures, students of international educational institutions and professionals across the board who have signed the petition that draws attention to the large-scale military adventure undertaken by President Ilham Aliyev on September 27 against the population of Artsakh. The petition concludes:

“Today’s situation is yet another outcome of the failure to globally recognize and condemn the 1915 Armenian Genocide․ In light of numerous violations of international laws, we call on all people and powers in the world to exert their influence on Azerbaijan and Turkey to put an end to this war immediately. We call for an immediate mediation process that guarantees the safety of all people throughout the region.”

17։00 "Turkey is a member of the Minsk Group. In that case, why shouldn't Turkey be among the co-chairs of the Minsk Group?" The statement came from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. According to him, even if many Western countries do not want to accept that fact, Turkey still has something serious to say and it is completely free to do so. [azatutyun.am]

16։00 The talks between Armenia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov And Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan have ended in Moscow. During the closing press conference, the Russian Foreign Minister stated. "Moscow hopes that all parties to the conflict will fulfill the requirements of the ceasefire agreement."

Referring to the possible resumption of talks on the Karabakh settlement, the Russian Foreign Minister stated. "The resumption of the political process over Karabakh should not be delayed, but it does not mean that all issues will be resolved quickly and at the same time." [azatutyun.am]

13։13 "The Azerbaijani Air Force operates Su-25 fighter jets along the border with the air support of F-16 fighter jets of the Air Force of Turkey. Air Defense units of Defense Army of Artsakh shot down one Su-25 attack aircraft in the north-eastern direction." [Shushan Stepanyan]

13:05 On the initiative of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, a meeting with about a dozen extra-parliamentary forces is taking place at the moment, the issue of Nagorno Karabakh is on the agenda of the meeting.

Participating in the meeting - the speaker of the former ruling Republican Party Eduard Sharmazanov, the representative of the ARF Supreme Body Ishkhan Saghatelyan, the vice-president of the Armenian National Congress headed by the first president Leon Ter-Petrosyan, Leon Zurabyan, the leader of the "For the Republic" party Arman Babajanyan, " The leader of the "Republic" party Aram Sargsyan, the secretary of the executive body of the "Citizen's Decision" party Suren Sahakyan.

13։00 "Turkey has not called for a ceasefire so far, I am convinced that such an approach is completely wrong. Luxembourg calls on NATO member Turkey to assist in establishing a ceasefire as soon as possible." [Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn before the start of the EU Foreign Ministers' Summit in Brussels.]

12։30 The official visit of the Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan to Moscow started.

12։00 According to local police, more than 100,000 people took part in a rally in Los Angeles to condemn the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh.

10։50 Large-scale military operations continue in the Hadrut area. The enemy, concentrating large forces in that direction, tries to invade the city. The Defense Army is fighting hard for every inch of land.[Spokesperson of President Vahram Poghosyan]

10։30 Azerbaijani media outlets have reported that artillery shells were fired at the Defense Army units retreating in the direction of the Karmir Shuka settlement, resulting in heavy casualties. The Azeri propaganda machine, as usual, distorts the reality, trying to prove at all costs that they took control of Hadrut, to justify Aliyev's naked statement. The units of the Defense Army continue to confidently carry out the combat tasks along the entire front. At the same time, the Defence Army units successfully stopped the offensive operations of the Azerbaijani armed forces, which did not follow the humanitarian ceasefire regime. The operation to surround and destroy the penetrated diversion group continues in the direction of Hadrut. The operative situation is under the full control of the Defense Army. We urge our compatriots to follow only the official news. [Artsakh Defence Army]

10։00 Overnight the situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone was relatively tense but stable. Currently, Azerbaijani forces are intensively shelling the southern front.[Artsrun
Hovhannisyan]

October 11 / Day 15
 

23:30Stepanakert is being targeted again. Explosions were heard in the city. [Armenian Unified Information Center]

20:35 Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan will meet with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in Moscow tomorrow. [Anna Naghdalyan, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia]

20:30 "The bodies of some Armenian servicemen are in the hands of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. There is some evidence that the Azerbaijani side committed violations against these bodies, which is prohibited by international humanitarian law." [Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan]

19։00 "In violation of the humanitarian ceasefire agreement, the Azerbaijani armed forces are undertaking assaults in the southern direction, using armored vehicles and missiles. Units of the Defense Army resolutely suppress all enemy operations." [Shushan Stepanyan]

18:00 "The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will not engage in humanitarian action in such conditions. We see publications about the shelling from both sides. This humanitarian ceasefire must be fully maintained, which in turn will ensure the safety of our teams working there." [Zara Amatuni, Head of Communication Programs, ICRC Armenia Office]

14։00 "After the announcement of the ceasefire, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces fired rockets at the city of Martuni at night, as a result of which one citizen was killed and houses were damaged."[Artsakh Information Headquarters]

12։44 "Turkish Air Force air command points flying in Turkish airspace control Turkish attack drones operating within the Azerbaijani air force. The drones, under the cover of six F-16s, that is, escorted by them, attack Artsakh's civilian population and infrastructure."  [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

12։30 Defense Army has released the names of another 25 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 429.

10։30 "Attack drones are being brought to Azerbaijan from Turkey and Israel, under the cover of humanitarian cargo." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10:00 Excerpts from the President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan's Press Conference :

"Artsakh is exercising its right of self-defense, Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan." 

“People of Artsakh want peace more then anybody in the world, but in the meantime, we can’t accept mandatory conditions from a country, willing to annihilate the history and people of Artsakh. If they want a long war, we will give them a long war.” 

"According to the agreement, today the bodies of dead soldiers and the POW should be exchanged through the mediation of the Red Cross. This process actually shows yet another time the attitude of the Azerbaijani authorities towards their own people, their compatriots, who are on the front lines, and this will become a great disaster. The Azerbaijani government is indifferent to the hundreds of bodies left on the front lines." 

"During the April war, the Israeli government was not only aware that Azerbaijan was using Israeli weapons for attack, but also specialists from Israel were assisting them directly on the ground. Therefore, if the Israeli government says we are not aware, it is yet another mockery of humanity. Of course, they are aware, and even today they continue to supply weapons. And the Israel, which went through a genocide, is also responsible for this genocide. Money reigns in the world, and these steps of the Israeli leadership are another proof that money violates not only human but also God-imposed values." 

"We are not only working in harmony with the Armenian authorities, but we are carrying out the whole process of governance and combat together. I consider the role of the Prime Minister very important, we are in touch at least once an hour. The Armenian authorities are informed about the whole process. This unity must continue, it will be the guarantee of our victory."

"If in the next one or two days we do not feel Azerbaijan's readiness to resolve the conflict peacefully, I will first call to the Armenian authorities to recognize Artsakh's independence, then to international organizations and all countries of the world."

   

01:10  After the ceasefire agreement was reached, Stepanakert was again targeted by the Azerbaijani forces. At 23:18 an air alarm was activated in the capital of Artsakh, during which the Azerbaijani forces hit (the weapon is not yet known) one of the suburbs of Stepanakert. One private house was completely destroyed, one adjacent building burned down, the nearby infrastructure was damaged. There are no victims. [State Emergency Service of Artsakh]

00:20 Martuni and Shushi and various large rural communities of Artsakh are being shelled at this moment. [Spokesperson of President Vahram Poghosyan]

00:05 The ceasefire agreement reached in Moscow on October 9 must be respected and implemented. Today, after 12:00, Azerbaijan continued its attack on Nagorno Karabakh, violating its obligations. Right now they are shelling Stepanakert. This is a disgusting aggression. [Zohrab Mnatsakanyan]
 

October 10 / Day 14

23:05 Stepanakert is being shelled again. [Artsakh Information Headquarters]

23։00 "URGENT։ Today the Staff of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh got concrete information that the subvversive group which entered Hadrut town on the morning killed 2 civilians at their home – the mother and her son with disability. We are making efforts to gather more information and will publish them tomorrow. Critically condemning the continuous severe attrocities of the Azerbaijani armed forces against the Artsakh population, I demand from the international community to give proper reaction to this cruel crime and to pursue punishing those criminals." [Artak Beglaryan]

15։00 "Prior to the establishment of the humanitarian ceasefire, the Azerbaijani side attempted a subversive infiltration in the direction of Hadrut. Although about 3 hours have passed since the ceasefire was established, the blockade and destruction operations of the infiltrated group continue. It is relatively calm in other parts of the front. The actions of the Azerbaijani side are apparently dictated by the need to prove the statement made by the President of Azerbaijan yesterday on the capture of Hadrut." [Shushan Stepanyan]

13:01 "The units of the Defense Army are halting enemy attacks in the south. At the same time, the Azerbaijani armed forces are holding the city of Hadrut under fire. The statement of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan that the Armenian side is firing in the direction of Tartar and Aghdam regions is yet another lie." [Shushan Stepanyan]

13։00 According to Artsvanik community head Anushavan Harutyunyan, the shelling started at 9:30 and continued until 11 AM. A specific target was targeted, there is a lot of destruction. 1 dead and 3 injured among the civil population. [azatutyun.am]

12։05 "Ignoring the ceasefire announced for humanitarian purposes on October 10 at 12:00, the Azerbaijani units attacked the area called "Karakhambeyli" at 12:05. The units of the Artsakh Defense Army take appropriate measures to stop the enemy's attack."  [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

12:00 The units of the Artsakh Defense Army have been ordered to cease fire.

12։00 CORRECTION "Correction. The city of Kapan was not hit․
The enemy used an attack UAV in the direction of Yeritsvank rural community, also in Artsvanik settlement of Syunik region of Armenia, Kapan region" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

"Minutes ago, a rocket hit the city of Kapan. There are civil casualties" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11։40 Defense Army has released the names of another 28 soldiers killed during the fighting. The total confirmed military casualties from Armenian side are now 404.

11:30 Michigan became the 8th U.S. state to recognize the independent Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh)

“The Michigan Senate vote for Artsakh independence represents a resounding reaffirmation of our enduring American commitment to democratic self-determination and an equally powerful blow against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s ongoing aggression against this peaceful republic,” said ANC of Michigan Chair Lara Nercessian. “Armenians from the Great Lakes State and across the U.S. commend Sen. Knezek and his fellow State Senators for standing strong with the people of Artsakh.”

10։40 After the announcement of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, the use of UAVs has intensified in the southern direction.The units of the Defense Army stop all the attacks of the enemy, causing great losses of manpower.
The enemy is cunningly trying to change the situation until the ceasefire declared for humanitarian purposes on October 10 at 12:00. The units of the Artsakh Defense Army are ready to stop the enemy's offensive intentions. [Spokeswoman for the RA Ministry of Defense Shushan Stepanyan]

10։25 "The enemy used an attacking UAV in the direction of Yeritsvank rural community, also in Artsvanik settlement of Syunik region of Armenia, Kapan region. There are no victims." [Shushan Stepanyan]

10։00 Azerbaijan continue the shelling of Artsakh settlements including Stepanakert despite the agreed ceasefire

02:00 Humanitarian ceasefire agreed by Armenia and Azerbaijan after Russian mediation. The ceasefire starts October 10 at 12:00. Full statement

October 9 / Day 13

21։45 "I have asked NATO to take all this seriously, as we have a situation where a NATO member is involved in a conflict with non-NATO third parties. Does Turkey got the green light from NATO? If so, we should be aware, if not, I hope our partners in NATO will make their voices heard and put pressure on Turkey." [Armen Sargsyan to Bloomberg]

21։15 "If you use such a force for 5 days and do not advence deep enough into your adversary's territory then you have failed the operation, everything else is a self-deception." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21։07 "The fighting continue in parallel with the negotiations in Moscow. No noticeable reduction in intensity was observed․" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:05 "The strikes to the Gazanchetsots church in Shushi were hyper-accurate, definitely not be accidental. The church was specifically targeted." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

18։10 Azeri President "ready to return to Karabakh peace talks"

The President of Azerbaijan stated that he was "ready to return to peace talks on the Karabakh issue", at the same time insisting that "he will not make concessions to Armenia and no other country can influence Baku's decision."

Aliyev's message was broadcasted on local TV channels when the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia started in Moscow.

Prior to that, Baku had stated that it would not negotiate until the Armenian forces were withdrawn from the "occupied territories." Today, Aliyev insisted that "it gives the Armenian side the last chance" for a peaceful settlement of the issue, Reuters reports.

18։01 "Ilham Aliyev's yet another craziness as if they conquered Hadrut, is as far from reality as the Azerbaijani terrorized army from Hadrut. That is, tens of kilometers." [Speaker of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan]

18։00 The Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia started in Moscow. The negotiations for the humanitarian ceasefire under way.

17։00 Doctors managed to perform some complex surgeries․ The lives of injured journalists in Artsakh are not in danger. [shantnews.am]

16։40 If we do not take steps to stop Turkey at the international level now, this region will have the prospect of becoming a new Syria, then everyone will suffer. We must make more efforts to end the war, the efforts must be directed at Turkey. From the moment Turkey withdraws from this equation, we will be closer to establishing a ceasefire and returning to the negotiating table. [Armen Sargsyan to the Financial Times]

16։30 Ceasefire in Karabakh may be established tonight or tomorrow, French presidential spokesman says

14:00 Fighting continues in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone. The fighting is especially intense in the southern direction. In the south as well as in the rest of the country, the units of the Defense Army successfully resist the enemy's offensive operations, causing heavy losses of manpower and military equipment. [Defense Army]

13։00 The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has confirmed that there are F-16 fighters belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces in his country, brought during the Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises in August. He told CNN that they were on the ground during the whole escalation of the conflict. Thus, Aliyev denies the involvement of F-16s in hostilities, despite the evidence provided by the Armenian side.[panarmenian]

12:30 "The Assyrian community of Armenia has been by the side of the Armenian people since the first day when the Azeri-Turkish terrorist alliance attacked Nagorno Karabakh. Not only are we side by side today, but this friendship has existed for centuries, together we went through genocides with the same Turkish handwriting. We are always united, we will be united and we will always win." [Assyrian MP Arsen Mikhailov of "My Step" faction]

11:35 The Defense Army has released the names of another 26 soldiers killed during the fighting, the total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 376

11։20 "Baku and Yerevan have confirmed their participation in the consultations to be held in Moscow. Active preparatory works are being carried out." [Maria Zakharova]

11:00 Facebook has deleted thousands of fake accounts and pages linked to the Azerbaijani authorities

As a result of an investigation that lasted more than a year, the Facebook finally deleted thousands of fake pages related to the Azerbaijani authorities, which targeted the country's opposition, as well as the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.

The network of fake Facebook accounts spread harsh criticism of the opposition, opposition leaders in Azerbaijani, as well as in Russian and English, accusing them of treason, denying allegations of human rights violations in Azerbaijan.[azatutyun.am]

10։50 Stepanakert under shelling again. No information about casualties yet.

10:20 Garo Khachikyan, the vice - mayor of the French city of Alfortville, informed that the city council unanimously voted for the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Artsakh by France.

08:00 In an interview to Tv5Monde yesterday, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said: “An adequate response in this situation would be for European countries, the international community to find strength in themselves, take a decisive step and recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

01:00 The announcement of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.
“After a series of telephone conversations with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of Russia calls for an end to hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for humanitarian reasons, in order to exchange bodies of the dead and hostages.
The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are invited to Moscow on October 9 to hold consultations on these issues with the mediation of the Russian Foreign Minister..”
 

October 8 / Day 12

23:10 Seven Azerbaijani drones were shot down between 7:30 - 9:20 pm near the Armenian town of Vardenis. [Shushan Stepanyan]

21:17 "Shushi, Stepanakert, Hadrut, Martuni are mainly attacked with missiles "Smerch", "Kasirga", "Polonez", "LAR-160" L Israeli LORA ballistic missiles. Their range is used as an additional factor in shelling these cities." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:15 "If by saying an adequate answer you mean a rocket attack on cultural centers, the Armenian side will never take such a step." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan, on the shelling of the church in Shushi] 

21:13 "No army equipment is inexhaustible in the use of such intense combat operations and no matter how many parallel supplies you make, you cannot make up for these losses at the same rate. During the first five days the rates of the Azerbaijani losses were very high, now they are declining because there is no enough equipment to use with the same intensity. Instead, they now use more artillery. They are persistently trying to continue their genocidal, terrorist actions. It is difficult to predict how long this will last." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:09 "The enemy knows very well that international journalists also work in Artsakh and they target them. Prior to this, there was a case in Martuni where a journalist of a French newspaper was injured. The enemy simply fires at the civilian population and that's it. Stepanakert and Shushi are not big cities, and the location of everything is very well known. I want the whole world to know about this." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:04 "Thanks to our medical service specialists, 30% of the wounded servicemen recover within 24 hours and return to the positions." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21:00 "If we summarize the attacks of the Azerbaijani aggressors on the civilian population only in Artsakh, we have the following picture ․ We have 93 wounded, of which only 20 are of light or medium severity, the condition of the others is serious. There are 20 victims. 4600 real estates were completely or partially destroyed, 430 private movable properties were put out of order, 750 different types of infrastructure, public objects. This data does not include last night's and today's numbers."
[Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

20:17 Azerbaijan's actions are aimed at deepening the humanitarian catastrophe in Artsakh. A total of 20 civilians were killed by October 7. A total of 93 people were injured, 73 of whom seriously wounded. Since September 27, the Azerbaijani armed forces have targeted more than 100 civilian settlements in the Artsakh Republic, destroying or damaging numerous infrastructures and private property. [Ombudsman of Artsakh]

19:50 The statement of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Armenia regarding the targeting of the places of religious worship and cultural monuments in Shushi

On October 8, the armed forces of Azerbaijan launched airstrikes at the masterpiece of the Armenian architecture - the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots Cathedral located in the cultural capital of Artsakh, Shushi, causing significant damages.

This is another crime of the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, which reveals its inhuman essence. Nevertheless, this action fully fits into its policy of Armenophobia developed for decades. Azerbaijan, which has completely annihilated the Armenian cultural heritage in Nakhichevan and in other parts of the historical homeland of the Armenian people, now throughout the ongoing military aggression against Artsakh is trying to deprive Armenians of Artsakh of their homeland and historical memory.

With these actions Azerbaijan replicates behaviour of its newly acquired allies - the infamous international terrorist organizations, who are responsible for destruction of the numerous historical-cultural monuments in the Middle East. 

We condemn in the strongest way this heinous crime of Azerbaijan is also a challenge to the whole civilized humanity. 

In this regard, we remind the Azerbaijani military-political authorities that targeting religious worship sites and cultural monuments is war crime as enshrined in international humanitarian law, the responsibility for which has no statute of limitations.

18:45 The Dutch parliament has passed a resolution calling on the government to condemn Turkey's belligerent rhetoric and actions in encouraging Azerbaijan in its war against Artsakh. As reports "Armenpress", the resolution was adopted on the initiative of Sadet Karabulut, a member of the Socialist Party of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (SP).

18:33 French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has stated that Azerbaijan initiated the recent escalation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. According to the Foreign Minister, each of the parties should be interested in establishing a ceasefire without preconditions. “You can’t say “we want ceasefire, but….”, this won’t happen. Hostilities halt, negotiations begin, in order for them to achieve agreement around a specific situation that will enable the sides to live normally,” he said, reminding about Azerbaijan’s precondition voiced days earlier. |armenpress.am|

18:15 Several journalists are injured in Shushi after another attack on Ghazanchetsots monastery, one of them is in critical condition. According to preliminary data received from Stepanakert, Russian journalist is going through a surgery at this moment. [Head of Armenian Unified Information Center]

17:54 Azerbaijani forces strike Ghazanchetsots Church in Shushi again. A Russian journalist was wounded.

17:30 CSTO registers the transfer of militants from Syria to the Nagorno-Karabakh region

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) records the appearance of militants from Syria in the conflict zone in Nagorno-Karabakh, but it is still difficult to assess the scale of this movement. CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas announced this on Thursday in an interview with RT TV channel.

"Now it is difficult for me to judge the scale and organization of the transfer of militants to the Karabakh conflict zone. Apparently, it is there, militants and accomplices appear there. Of course, this does not benefit the normalization of relations and presents certain challenges for the organization," Zas said. [TASS]

16։20 Geneva City Council adopts resolution condemning Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh

On October 7 the Geneva City Council passed a resolution on condemning Azerbaijan’s ongoing military aggression against the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), recognizing the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination and demanding from the federal government to freeze the assets of the Aliyev family in Switzerland.

The resolution was passed with 49 votes in favor, 18 abstentions and 2 votes against. It has been co-authored by Anna Barseghyan, Arnaud Moreillon, Pascal Holenweg and others.

The resolution, which has been submitted for the debate of 80 members of the City Council, is titled “Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh have a right to live and self-determination”. It provides a historical overview of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, on the massacres in Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad, as well as on the recent July attacks of Azerbaijan on Armenia’s borders. The resolution also makes a reference to the ongoing Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh launched since September 27, condemning the crimes against the civilian population, calling on the City Council to do the utmost to keep all the provisions of the international humanitarian law, the Geneva Convention.

“The City Council of the Geneva City recognizes the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to self-determination as the only opportunity to guarantee their security”, the resolution says.

The adoption of the resolution is symbolic as it is taking place ahead of the visit of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov to Geneva today where he is scheduled to meet with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.[armenpress.am]

15:50 The information by international and Armenian meida that a clear agreement for the ceasefire was reached between the parties on October 8 does not correspond to reality. [Armenian Defense Army]

13։00 Argishti Kyaramyan was dismissed from the position of the NSS director. Mikael Hambardzumyan has been appointed as the acting director by the same decision.

12:20 It is obvious that today there is a large-scale war against Artsakh. And, palpably, Artsakh's participation (in the negotiations -editor) is vital. Without the participation of Artsakh, any negotiation can no longer have a perspective. The 1994 ceasefire agreement must be updated. It is impossible to expect peace without the participation of Artsakh. [Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan]

12:15 The Turkish national currency, the lira, continues to fall against the US dollar.

The value of the US dollar was 7.89 lira, which is a new "record" of currency devaluation, yesterday the dollar was sold at 7.88 lira.

Analysts at Bloomberg believe that the devaluation of the Turkish national currency was facilitated by the country's open involvement in the resumption of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. [azatutyun.am]

12։10 The Nagorno-Karabakh talks are an example of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the United States.

The statement came from Robert O. Bryan, National Security Adviser to the US President, during a meeting with students at the University of Las Vegas.

"There are fundamental differences between the United States and Russia, but we can still work together. There are such areas, for example, now the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has intensified. "We are one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. We are trying to restore peace in the Caucasus region," he said. [azatutyun.am]

12։00 The Defense Army released the names of another 30 Armenian soldiers killed while fighting the Azerbaijani attacks.

10։00 "During the night, the situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone was stable but tense. Early in the morning at 08:30, the enemy attempted to attack in the southern direction, but, losing three units of military equipment, leaving more than twenty dead and wounded, fled from the outskirts of Jebrail. "[Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

09:05 The enemy continued shelling Stepanakert during the night. [Armenian Unified Information Center]

 

October 7 / Day 11

 

23:00 If we consider the information received from the early morning, we can say that the ideas of the Karabakh military leaders were implemented. They took tactical steps in the south, left a corridor, and pressed the Azerbaijani military units there. Literally, at this moment, these units receive crushing strikes. And I think this will be the key moment of the whole operation. At the moment, according to my information, the real foundation is being laid for the final victory of the Karabakh army [Nikol Pashinyan]

20:24 The enemy targets Shushi again. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

20:07 "The negotiations so far have at least helped to get a signal from the Armenian side that they are  ready for a ceasefire, which has not been possible in the case of Azerbaijan so far. This issue will be discussed. if a situation arises when one of the parties withdraws from the ceasefire, in that case, we will discuss our further steps in the EU and increase the pressure on Azerbaijan." [German Foreign Minister]

18։30 French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced today that talks on the situation in Nagorno Karabakh will be held in Geneva tomorrow, with the participation of representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs France, Russia and the United States.

According to Reuters, addressing the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly, Le Drian also noted that after the talks in Geneva, a round of diplomatic consultations will take place on Monday in the Russian capital Moscow. According to Le Drian, the aim of the talks is "to start a dialogue without preconditions." [azatutyun.am]

16:50 "I don't want to deflect attention from the coronavirus crisis, but it seems to me that the greater health risk is the attack on the peace-loving democratic community and the use of cluster bombs! This is what the madmen of the Bosporus and Baku are doing in Nagorno-Karabakh. They're slaughtering the specific "risk group" - Armenians, irrespective of age, weight or pre-existing conditions. I don't want to spend too much time on Azerbaijan - this kaputnik state is connected to the European values only through its oil pipelines. Whatever Baku gets up to, they can do it thanks to Erdogan, who has shown his determination to finish the Genocide began a 100 years ago. It's unimaginable that the EU still sees him as a partner. He spread terror with jihadist mercenaries in the Caucasus, Iraq, Syria, Libya and the Mediterranean. As unofficial speaker for the non-inscrits group I HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH! I hope the others will follow and provide them with the protection of the international community that has denied them for too long. The EU should return its Nobel Peace Prize and ask for the Neville Chamberlain medal of remembrance as reward for its persistent upheavement." [Martin Sonneborn, non-attached member of the European Parliament, Germany]

16։10 The Defense Army has released the names of another 40 soldiers killed during the fighting, the total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 320

15։05 Jordi Solé, a member of the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) in the European Parliament, stated during the October 7 debates that the right of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination should be recognized and respected. He took to Twitter to post a video of his speech. "Ignoring the right to self-determination can lead to major conflicts," he said, stressing that all actors in the region should work to promote peace instead of escalating it.

15։05 "My last conversation with the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan was very worrying, as the Azerbaijani side insists that it will not stop hostilities until the Armenian side fulfills the demands of Azerbaijan."[Joseph Borrell, Vice-Chair of the EU Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy]

15։05 During the discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the European Parliament, more than 30 deputies discussed the issue and most of the speakers strongly criticized Turkey's expansionist policy in the region, many referred to Turkey's belligerent and aggressive rhetoric. The aggression of Turkey and Azerbaijan was most actively criticized by the representatives of the left-wing parties, coalitions, especially by the French and Greek deputies.

15:00 The presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, Vladimir Putin, and Ilham Aliyev discussed via phone call the situation on the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh. This is their first conversation since the beginning of hostilities. The conversation took place at the initiative of the Azerbaijani side.

14։00 "We do not see a decrease in Turkish involvement, Turkey continues to be fully involved․ If it uses fewer measures, it has to do only with the success of the Armenian army."[Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

13:30 There is an answer from Iran, and, fortunately, not in the form of purely political statements. I can not say anything else, this is about another state. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

13:00 Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the events in Karabakh are a tragedy, Russia is very worried.
"People inhabiting Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Nagorno Karabakh territories are not strangers to us"  
"It is known that Armenia is a CSTO member and we have certain obligations towards the Republic of Armenia in the frame of that agreement. The military operations still continue, however they are not taking place in the territory of Armenia. Regarding the obligations of Russia within the frame of this agreement, we always fulfill them, we continue to fulfill them right now and will continue to do so." [ria.ru]

12։50 The enemy destroys only civilian objects, this is a strategy. This is not only a strategy, but this is their philosophy, their worldview - to intimidate us, to target schools, kindergartens, to try to break the will of our people, to break us, but it will not work. [Davit Babayan, Artsakh President's Foreign Policy Advisor]

12։30 "There is no doubt that Azerbaijan is the one violating the ceasefire." This was stated by the First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs and Eurasian Integration Konstantin Zatulin in an interview with Armenian Public Television.

"It is impossible to take a neutral position, because Armenia is our ally. Of course, we have no formal obligations to Nagorno Karabakh, but we have political, military and moral obligations to the Armenian people. Armenians live in Armenia, Russia and Nagorno Karabakh. We must not allow the massacre of the people, which is done by the attacking side," Zatulin stressed.

12:20 As per the decision of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, Athens has recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolaos Piperigos for consultations. [Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

12:15 According to the Head of the Department of International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, Baku does not consider it necessary to involve a third party, including Russia, in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.[Ria Novosti] [Mediamax]

11:40 Azerbaijan striking Stepanakert with missiles and suicide drones.No data on casualties yet.[Artak Beglaryan]

10։45 The Defense Army has released the names of another 40 soldiers killed during the fighting, the total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 283

09:40 "The Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh are facing an existential threat. The whole issue is that if the Azerbaijani armed forces succeed, it will mean the genocide of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh."

"And Artsakh, yes, is Armenia, a country of Armenians, because 80% and more of the population have always been Armenians there. And it is the same today. And what is the problem with this? Azerbaijan does not want Armenians to live there. That is why today they attacked Nagorno Karabakh with the support of terrorists." [Nikol Pashinyan to BBC]

09:20 It is already the second day that the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, not having sufficient capabilities to conduct effective offensive operations, have started to resort to obvious provocations. In particular, in the southern direction of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani military operations, Azerbaijani units are gathering in large groups directly along the Artsakh-Iranian border (along the Araks River) and are trying to move forward by moving along the border. With this tactic, the Azerbaijani side is trying to provoke the Artsakh side to open fire in the direction of Iran. It is possible that as a result of hostilities, Azerbaijani units, having no alternative, will retreat or flee to Iranian territory.To avoid all this, we believe that the Iranian side, which certainly sees all this, should prevent or force them to refrain from such gatherings. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

09:00 "During the night, the enemy tried to advance and strengthen its positions in the south-eastern direction (in the direction of Jebrail), however, the Azerbaijani units were striked by the artillery fire of the Armenian Armed Forces. At 06:30 in the morning, after another artillary attack,leaving 60 casualties, 22 wounded, as well as several dozen units of equipment on the battlefield, the remnants of three fully equipped brigades of enemy fled in panic. The video is available.
A large base of the enemy's fuel and ammunition storage was damaged in the south-eastern direction by the precise fire of the Armenian divisions. Video coming soon. Opportunities have been created to develop success in different directions of the front." [Shushan Stepanyan]

 

October 6 / Day 10

23։15 "The statement of the Azerbaijani side that the Armenian units allegedly tried to hit the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is a brazen lie.
We have repeatedly stated that we are not targeting the oil and gas infrastructure, however regardless of the location, all the military facilities, from which Artsakh will be targeted, will be destroyed." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

22:40 Stepanakert and Shushi are under fire again. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

22:30 On October 6, the Dutch parliament passed a resolution by an overwhelming majority, calling on the government to take action against Azerbaijan and Turkey to immediately end the Karabakh war. The author of the resolution is the speaker of the Christian Democratic Party Martijn van Helvert. [armenpress.am]

22:20 Artsakh and Armenia are literally at the forefront of the fight against international terrorism today, however, the peculiarity of our case is that this enemy, which threatens the existence of the world civilization, has come out against our homeland already disguised under the flag of a UN member state, as part of the regular army of that state, often instead of that regular army. In the modern world, when it is literally impossible to hide anything from anyone, everyone has seen and recorded with their own eyes the penetration of the jihadist terrorists in Azerbaijan. 
Turkey, which continuously feeds and manages these networks, with the consent of the opportunistic authorities in Baku, uses Azerbaijan as a tool to create a new hotbed of global terrorism in the South Caucasus. I am convinced that every responsible politician, state or international organization, is clearly aware of the dangerous consequences of such developments. We all have fresh memories of the jihadist gangs' efforts to establish a state unit in Iraq and Syria. All the countries of the world have something to do in thwarting Turkey's plan to turn Azerbaijan into a terrorist den of the South Caucasus.
Today, Armenia and Artsakh are at the forefront of the struggle, because we have accepted with dignity, this challenge thrown at us. And we will fight until the final victory. However, this is not only our problem.
As the president of a state fighting for its independence, I call on the civilized world to take an active part in this struggle. Creating an effective and efficient global anti-terrorist coalition is imperative today. I am sure the victory will be ours. [Arayik Harutyunyan, The President of The Republic of Artsakh]

18:20 Tehran threatens to take tough steps against the parties to the Karabakh conflict if the bombs used during the hostilities continue to fall on Iranian territory.

"The security of our borders is of vital importance to us," Iranian Defense Minister General Amir Khatami said today, adding: "Any kind of attack is unacceptable to us and if these steps are repeated, we will pass to more severe measures in addition to warnings.”

17։50 Statement of the MFA of Armenia on the situation on the Line of Contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan

According to the information received from the Defense Forces of Artsakh, since this afternoon the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, concentrating reserve forces and a large number of military equipment, including tanks and artillery, launched a large-scale attack towards the southern direction of the line of contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan.  

These actions are taking place during the visit of the Foreign Minister of Turkey to Baku and hours after the statement of the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

The Defense Forces of Artsakh undertake all the necessary measures to repel the attack. The military political leadership of Azerbaijan bears full responsibility for the consequences. 

16:50 The enemy started shelling Stepanakert. 4 cluster missiles exploded in the center.

  

16։40 "According to the Artsakh Defense Army, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces this afternoon launched a large-scale attack in the southern direction of the line of contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, using reserve forces, as well as a large amount of military equipment, including tanks and artillery.
The enemy also ignores the security of the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Capabilities of the enemy are methodically and continuously destroyed." [Shushan Stepanyan]

16։30 Head of Russian Foreign Intelligence "Hundreds of terrorists from the Middle East are coming to Nagorno-Karabakh"

The director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin stated that according to the service, mercenaries of international terrorist organizations fighting in the Middle East have started to move to the Karabakh conflict zone. Including fighters form "Jebhat an Nusra", "Firkat al Hamza", "Sultan Murad" organizations.

Naryshkin stressed that we are not even talking about hundreds, but thousands of extremists who are planning to make money in the new Karabakh war, TASS writes.

Naryshkin is concerned that "in the event of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Caucasus may become a platform for terrorist organizations, after which the militants may infiltrate countries bordering Armenia and Azerbaijan, including Russia."

16։00 During a special official meeting Minister of Defence of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov stated that the counter-offensive operation and planned destruction of the Armenian armed forces in occupied areas of Azerbaijan will continue. [Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan]

15:30 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by Turkish Foreign Minister Mavlut Cavusoglu in Baku. He noted that Turkey's policy is aimed only at peace, yielding results not only in the Middle East but also in the Caucasus. [infocom]

15:00 Spokesman for the Artsakh President Vahram Poghosyan writes that the situation in Artsakh remains tense. According to him, the Armenian side has some positional successes.

14:30 CSTO postpones military exercises scheduled for late October in Armenia. The organization announced last month that it plans to hold two military exercises in Armenia in the fall - the Collective Rapid Reaction Force and an exercise for the intelligence units. [azatutyun.am]

14:20 Yerevan is waiting for Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Armenian Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan said today.

"The Russian Prime Minister will arrive in Armenia on October 8-9 to participate in the session of the EEU Intergovernmental Council. "It was a pre-planned visit that has nothing to do with the ongoing situation in the Karabakh conflict zone," the minister said in response to a reporter's question. [azatutyun․am]

14:00 The Defense Army has released the names of another 21 soldiers killed during the fighting, the total confirmed military casualties from the Armenian side are now 243

12:00 Statement by the Foreign Ministry of Armenia regarding the statement of the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries
Armenia values the statement of the Foreign Ministries of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, in which the unprecedented massive targeting of the civilian population and infrastructure in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone has been condemned in the strongest terms as an unacceptable threat to the stability of the region.
Armenia reiterates the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, which the Foreign Ministry of Armenia has already underlined in its statement issued on October 2, 2020.
We once again stress that there is no alternative to the peaceful settlement and the peace process, and any attempt to resolve the conflict by military means will be resolutely averted.

11:05 Nicolas Aznavour sent a letter to French President Emanuel Macron.
"The support of you and the French people is very important to us. Please take active steps for the salvation of our people by recognizing the Artsakh Republic as a sovereign state so Artsakh is able to use the provisions of international law, please impose economic sanctions on Azerbaijan and Turkey for their crimes, as well as put pressure on the UN to put in place mechanisms to restore peace in the region"

10։30 Azerbaijani losses as of now

10:20 Amnesty International confirms Stepanakert bombed with Israeli-made cluster bombs, banned under international law.

Amnesty International has stated that its experts in Stepanakert have confirmed that the capital of Artsakh has been bombed by Israeli-made cluster bombs. The human rights organization states that the use of cluster bombs is prohibited, and their use in residential areas may increase the number of casualties. [azatutyun.am]

10:15 Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will have an official visit to Azerbaijan on October 6, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, TASS reports.

It is specified that the Turkish Foreign Minister will be received by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh will be discussed.

10։00 Talysh activists living in Azerbaijan have expressed concern over tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.
"We call on the Azerbaijani government to finally end its policy of inciting hatred among the Talysh. We urge the Talysh not to engage in the propaganda of hate speech. We urge them to refrain from participating in clashes. In our history, we have never been an opponent of any people, we will continue this way." [Armenpress.am]

09:30 Los Angeles stands in solidarity with Armenia and the people of Artsakh as they face continued attacks from Azerbaijan.
The American people must understand what’s at stake when the people of Artsakh are being murdered, when civilian areas are being targeted by Azerbaijani bombs and artillery, all with the help of Turkey – it threatens all of our freedoms.
And so we must speak out. We must bring an end to this conflict and suffering by bringing all the pressure we can to bear on Azerbaijan and their Turkish sponsors, and we must ensure that the United States never again gives Azerbaijan or Turkey reason to believe they can commit such acts of violence with impunity. [Congressman Adam Schiff]

, said Canadian Foreign Minister Francois Philippe Champagne.

He noted that in recent days Canada has received numerous accusations of using its technology during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Knowing this, the minister instructed to conduct an investigation. [PanArmenian.net]

21։35 We have announced a full mobilization, which is a normal process during these rather difficult and complicated military operations.[Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

21։20 International organizations must take concrete actions. This situation is no longer a matter of speeches at conferences, calling for an end to this or that action. Concrete actions are needed, because it is no longer possible to prevent such phenomena with speeches, calls or unaddressed steps. These can already lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.
[Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan]

21։00 Artsakh Foreign Minister Masis Mailyan sent a letter to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The letter states that Azerbaijan has violated its commitment to join the Council of Europe to resolve the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict only through peaceful means. The letter emphasizes that Turkey is equally responsible for initiating a new military confrontation in the territory of the Council of Europe, for recruiting mercenaries from Middle East terrorist organizations, and for sending them to Azerbaijan to take part in hostilities against Artsakh. [MFA Artsakh]

20:00 Zohrab Mnatsakanyan had a telephone conversation with US Deputy Secretary of State Steven Bigan. Mnatsakanyan provided information on the targeted shelling of the civilian population and civilian infrastructure by the Azerbaijani armed forces, as well as on the human and material losses. Foreign Minister drew attention to the use of weapons prohibited by international conventions by Azerbaijan during hostilities. Bigan called for an immediate ceasefire and close co-operation between the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. [RA MFA]

19:55 Strange as it may sound, today the Armenian soldier is also defending Georgia's independence and sovereignty from Turkey's expansionist aspirations. I told Georgian Ambassador to Armenia Giorgi Saganelidze about this today. We must be together. Today is that moment. [RA National Assembly Vice Speaker Lena Nazaryan]

19:50 The EU and the UN have called for a ceasefire, and I support the idea of a ceasefire. However, Azerbaijan has openly stated that it does not agree. I do not think this is a good sign, especially when we are discussing the EU partnership with Azerbaijan as well. And I can not imagine that we will start a partnership with a country that does not hear any call for a ceasefire. [Foreign Policy and Defense Spokesperson for the Christian Democratic Party of the Netherlands]

18:30 "Turkey must be present in process of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with Turkish TRT Haber.

"Turkey is a strong state, with great potential, our neighbor, the neighbor of Armenia, the neighbor of the South Caucasus. That is why, naturally, Turkey must be active in those matters. "Turkey must be present in the further peace process," Aliyev said, adding that there will be a peace process "And the sooner the better, the war can not last forever," he said.[azatutyun.am]

18։20 Today both the RA President Armen Sargsyan and the Defense Minister of RA Davit Tonoyan met with the Ambassador of the United States to Armenia Lynne Tracy to discuss the ongoing Azerbaijani aggression on Artsakh.

18:05 19 civilians died in Artsakh as of October 4, the youngest of which was the nine years old Viktoria.[Artsakh Information Headquarters]

18։00 48 MEPs sent a letter to Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, urging him to take targeted actions to stop Azerbaijan's aggression against Artsakh and Armenia.

“Missile and air strikes on the indigenous population of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the capital Stepanakert, forced civilians to hide in shelters. We urge you, High Representative Borrell, to also exert strong pressure on Turkey to stop any intervention to destabilize another region - the South Caucasus, ”the letter says.

17։05 To avoid unnecessary speculation, I would like to mention that in some directions of the frontline, the Defense Army withdrew its troops for tactical purposes, to

a) avoid unnecessary casualties;
b) inflict greater damage on enemy troops.
The achievements are significant in both respects.
The army command continues to fight professionally and the day is not far when we will see how the disbanded army of the enemy retreats in panic. And the decision has already been made, we will not stop. [Speaker of the President of the Republic of Artsakh Vahram Poghosyan]

17:00 "My call is for our boys, who have been demobilized from the army for the past year, to report to the central headquarters.
I want to invite those people and honestly say that they are not just invited to perform military duty or service, but to fight to the death for the homeland.
The law does not envisage involving demobilized boys in mobilization resources within the first year after their demonilization, but I now ask all of them to enlist as volunteers. As I said, this is a new Sardarapat, and we must stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder, and break the backbone of our opponent, and we must win.
I believe that there are ten thousand such boys in Armenia today, and if at least half of them respond to this call, it will be one of the most efficient parts of our army." [Nikol Pashinyan]

16։20 Vladimir Putin does not yet have clear plans to hold talks with the President of Azerbaijan and with the President of Turkey, on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. However there is a war going on in the region and events are developing rapidly. If necessary, there is no doubt that President Putin will discuss the issue with his counterparts. [Spokesman for the President of the Russian Federation]

15:00 "I think in this situation Israel will stop supplying weapons to Azerbaijan. We are cooperating with the Israeli Foreign Ministry, there are people in the presidency who have influence. They are on the way to stopping the supply of weapons. I was given a verbal promise on an official level." [Armenian Ambassador to Israel] [factor.am]

14:00 Armenian Military Forces confirm 21 new casualties, the total number of Armenian military casualties is now 222 

13:15 "Now Armenia and Artsakh are under attack from unprovoked Azeri/Turkish aggression. Civilians are being targeted and there are needless deaths on both sides. Armenians are beautiful people and they deserve lasting peace from years of historical persecution." [Elton John]

13։00 "The official circles of Azerbaijan have for many times been spreading statements that have nothing to do with the reality, that allegedly this or that settlement of Azerbaijan is being targeted from Armenia.The purpose of such false informations is to conceal one's own aspirations." [Shushan Stepanyan] 

12:40 "The military leadership of Azerbaijan shouts loudly about civilian shellings and casualties to hide its own vandalism. Six days after your shelling of Stepanakert, Martakert, Madtuni, Hadrut and other settlements, the President of Artsakh clearly stated that we will hit military targets that may be close to civilian objects. But you don't care about your residents. And you are obviously doing all this to prepare the ground for provocations." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

12:30 Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh on the need to recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh
Since 27 September 2020, the Azerbaijani armed forces, with the support of Turkey and terrorist organizations from the Middle East, have unleashed an aggressive war against the Republic of Artsakh. The large-scale armed attack by Azerbaijan on the Republic of Artsakh is accompanied by serious violations of the norms of international humanitarian law, as well as the laws and customs applicable in armed conflict. In particular, the Azerbaijani-Turkish armed formations are deliberately shelling cities, villages and civilian objects of Artsakh with the aim of terrorizing and destroying the civilian population. As a result of their criminal actions, there have been numerous casualties among the civilian population.
We welcome the efforts of leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries and the international community as a whole, aimed at putting an immediate end to the armed aggression of Azerbaijan and the de-escalation of tensions. At the same time, we note that all the demands and appeals of the international community are cynically rejected by the triple alliance of Turkey, Azerbaijan and terrorist organizations.
We call on the international community to recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh in order to ensure the rights of the citizens of Artsakh to life and peaceful development. In the current situation, the international recognition of Artsakh is the only effective mechanism to restore peace and security in the region.

11:00 "The enemy is shelling Stepanakert and Shushi once again. The response of the Defence Army will be quick. But unlike terroristic Baku government, we are targeting permanently deployed military facilities in big cities, rather than the civilian population.
We call upon the peaceful population of those cities once again to immediately leave in order to avoid possible casualties." [Vahram Poghosyan]

10:45 The enemy resumed offensive operations in the southern direction of the Artsakh front. Intense battles continue. The Defense Army units are striking back the enemy forces. [Shushan Stepanyan]

10:20 "At this moment the enemy is shelling Stepanakert with high intensity." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

08։30 "Firefights of various intensity which started overnight continue to rage all along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact." [Shushan Stepanyan] 

October 4 / Day 8
 

23:59 The Azerbaijani side, even without presenting at least one piece of evidence, is now claiming that the Armenian armed forces have allegedly targeted the territories of Khiz and Apsheron. Yet another lie that clearly proves Azerbaijan is preparing the ground for a provocation. [Shushan Stepanyan] 

23:55 Even now, high-ranking Turkish military officials are in Azerbaijan, in the command posts of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, leading the process. And, in fact, this was acknowledged by the Turkish Foreign Minister, who wrote in his Twitter page that Turkey is by Azerbaijan's side both in diplomacy and on the battlefield. Of course, I was told that he deleted that post after a while, but that doesn't really change much. [From Nikol Pashinyan's interview to "France 24"]

23։50 The Artsakh Defense Army does not see any need to hit the Mingechaur reservoir. This is another fabrication by Azerbaijan. [Press Secretary of the President of the Republic of Artsakh Vahram Poghosyan] 

21:00 There are no active hostilities on the borders of Armenia, it is relatively calm. Our Armed Forces follow all the actions of the enemy, intelligence intentions and are in full control of the situation. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan][t.me/infocomm]

21:00 We have all the reasonable doubts to assume that Aliyev is in the state of information blockade or misinformation in his own country. In fact, the commander-in-chief of the country does not know the situation, or he is misreported, so there is a problem with the strategic management system of the army too. They report false information, and Aliyev tries to use it to present the defeat as a victory by spreaded faulse news, which are easily refuted, even with videos. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan] [t.me/infocomm]

21։00 At this moment the battles continue in the same directions. Today they did not have the persistence and heaviness of the previous two days, but the enemy has taken its offensive actions again. Our Armed Forces repulsed the attacks, causing significant losses to the enemy. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan] [t.me/infocomm]

20:00 Fighting continues along the entire Artsakh-Azerbaijani border. More persistent battles are taking place in the north and south directions. The enemy is constantly trying to attack, but as a result of the decisive actions of the Defense Army units, they fail. [Shushan Stepanyan] 

17։37 The RA President had a telephone conversation with Vache Manukyan, Chairman of the AGBU Board of Trustees, Diaspora Armenian businessman, national benefactor. Manukyan-owned Pharmatech Pharmaceutical Company, the largest manufacturer of injection solutions in the region, will supply injection solutions, disinfectants and various medicines to the army exclusively free of charge. The process has already begun. [infocom]

17:20 Today, the Armenian government filed an interim measure against Turkey in the European Court of Human Rights, according to the Armenian representative to the ECHR. 

It is noted that, taking into account Azerbaijan's multifaceted attacks on Republic of Artsakh and the Armenian civilian population, which are accompanied by gross violations of the European Convention on Human Rights, and Turkey's continued participation in hostilities, the Republic of Armenia on behalf of itself and the Republic of Artsakh has filed an interim measure against Turkey in full accord with the 39th rule of the European Court. [azatutyun.am]

17:10 "As a result of the shelling by the Azerbaijani side, there are civilian casualties and wounded in Stepanakert and Shushi." [Vahram Poghosyan, spokesman for the President of Artsakh.]

17։05 "The Twitter pages of Azerbaijani և Turkish officials, together, are now celebrating the liberation of Jabrayil, which is another hoax. And soon we will present the documentary Escape from Mataghis." [Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan]

16:30 Former French President Hollande took part in a rally in defense of Artsakh

Former French President Francois Hollande took part in a rally in Alforville, France, demanding a ceasefire and an end to the Azerbaijani aggression.

Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Poulvar, Val de Marne MP Isabelle Santiago, Alforville Mayor Luc Carvounas and Artsakh Representative Hovhannes Gorgyan spoke at the rally in Alforville, A1 + reports.They unanimously noted that the Armenian people are being attacked by the Turkish-Azerbaijani, and the region is endangered due to the Turkish military presence.

14:35 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh warns that the Azerbaijani army has taken clear actions, targeting local, Armenian and international journalistic groups. According to the available information, special groups have been formed by Azerbaijan, whose task is to follow the movement of journalists, to target, to harm as much as possible the journalists covering the hostilities. In order to deliver targeted blows to journalistic groups, the enemy orients itself with live broadcasts of journalists' military operations. [infocom]

14։20 The Turkish soldiers are clearly visibe in the photos published by the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan Hikmet Hajiyev from Ganja.The photos were quickly removed. [Razminfo]

  

13:30 On my orders, today the Defense Army fired several rockets to neutralize the military facilities located in Ganja. At this point, I have instructed to stop the fire to avoid civilian casualties. If the enemy does not come to the right conclusions, we will continue to strike proportionately and vigorously, dismantling the enemy army and rear.
We are determined to the end in our actions. Stop until it's too late. [Arayik Harutyunyan]

13:10 173 elected officials call on France to support Armenia

Anne Hidalgo, Valérie Pécresse, Laurent Wauquiez, Michèle Rubirola and 173 signatories, in collaboration with the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France, plead so that France re-examines "its strategy in the conflict" which opposes the 'Armenia to Azerbaijan.

"Faced with all of these events, it is clear that the area of ​​neutrality in which France has been forcing itself for several decades to create a path to peace no longer exists. It now offers more guarantees of impunity for the benefit of Azerbaijani aggressions carried out in close consultation with its Turkish ally, than levers for seeking a concerted solution to the conflict. For all of these reasons, we consider that French diplomacy must review its strategy in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: strongly denounce the Azerbaijani aggression and demand an immediate end to the violence on the part of Azerbaijan, otherwise show massive support for the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities which will require recognition of their full legitimacy." [Le Journal du Dimanche]

12:45 "We expect neutrality from Ukraine. I understand how sensitive such topics are for Ukraine and its citizens, but I want to emphasize that any parallels with what happened in Karabakh are inappropriate. I will present a fact  - The only self-determined state in the post-Soviet region is Nagorno Karabakh. It self-determined during the existence of the Soviet Union on the same grounds as Armenia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan." [Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan in an interview with Ukraine 24 TV] [armenpress.am]

12:35 "Fighting continues in the south. At around 12:00, the units of the Defense Army hit three enemy planes and two tanks in the southern direction." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

12:30 "Planes were used in the shelling of Stepanakert" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan] [armenpress.am]

12:20 "Azerbaijan, together with Turkey, and with massive involvement of foreign mercenaries transferred from the Middle East, continues large-scale military hostilities against the Republic of Artsakh. Cities of Stepanakert and Martakert are attacked with the use of long-range missiles and involvement of the air force.
The deliberate targeting of the civilian population and infrastructure of Artsakh by the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is a gross violation of the international humanitarian law, and the latter will bear full responsibility for this war crime." [Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia]

12։10 "Stepanakert is being attacked again, there is destruction, civilian casualties." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11։30 "The enemy continues to use prohibited weapons and target peaceful settlements, including the capital Stepanakert.
The Artsakh Defense Army is already delivering heavy blows to the most important military facilities located deep in the territory of Azerbaijan. The entire responsibility for raising the tension in the conflict zone by one more degree falls on the Azerbaijani side." [Defense Ministry spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan]

11։00 The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia officially informs that no fire is fired from the territory of the Republic of Armenia in the direction of Azerbaijan.

10։50 "Ganja airport is destroyed…" [Spokesperson for the President of Artsakh Vahram Poghosyan]

10։40 "Despite numerous warnings, the Azerbaijani terrorist army continues to target the civilian population of Stepanakert using Polonez-Smerch systems.

Large military installations permanently located in major cities of Azerbaijan have now become targets of the Defense Army. I call on the people of Azerbaijan to leave these cities as soon as possible to avoid possible losses. All military responsibility lies with the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan." [Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan]

10։35 Stepanakert is being shelled from about 7:30 in the morning. About twenty explosions were heard. The air alarm signal sounds almost incessantly. Part of the city was without electricity, but about 40 minutes later the power supply was restored. This is the longest shelling of Stepanakert since the outbreak of this war. [azatutyun.am]

09։30 "Dear compatriots!
I just returned from the front line. I have been to different parts. There is excitement and heroism everywhere. Our victory is unstoppable, as the behavior of our defenders is an exceptional manifestation of the collective strength of the Armenian people.I would like to express my special thanks to the Defense Army, its command staff, for brilliantly fulfilling their task." [Arayik Harutyunyan]

08:55 The situation in the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone was relatively stable and tense during the night. It was especially tense in the southern direction. The analysis of the enemy's actions shows that the latter is going to attack. The Defense Army is following all the enemy's movements and is ready to resolutely suppress all the enemy's actions. [Artsakh Defense Army] 

08:50 A little while ago Stepanakert was shelled again, four explosions were heard, the air alarm signal was on. [azatutyun.am]

07:56 There is firing in the Artsakh frontline, there is also low intensity artillery fire in particular locations. [Shushan Stepanyan]

01:40 The United States has sent Philip Reeker, head of the State Department's Eurasian Bureau, to Turkey to discuss regional issues, including the Karabakh issue.
"We want to discuss this issue with the Turkish side. We can reduce the tension," a senior State Department official told Turkey's Anadolu news agency. [azatutyun.am]

01։00 After heavy fighting, the Defense Army has improved its position today, preparing the ground for further advancement, says Artsakh President
"Being pressured on the front line, Azerbaijan has begun to strike harder at our peaceful settlements, using long-range missiles. These war crimes will receive adequate answers, and in this regard, we warn the Azerbaijani authorities for the last time. We will win, we will punish the criminals who threaten our existence." 

 

 

October 3 / Day 7

23։00 Stepanakert is without electricity. The enemy targeted the building of the electricity network. [Armenpress]

22:00 Azerbaijani losses as of today:

21։30 "The approach of the President of Azerbaijan is unacceptable, taking into account the fact that in 1988 The Council of People's Deputies of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its joining Armenia. Nagorno Karabakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan for a simple reason. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Nagorno-Karabakh gained independence from Azerbaijan just as Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union." [Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with "Al Jazeera"] [armenpress.am]

21:27 "At 20:26 the enemy fired rockets at Stepanakert.
There is positional fire exchange of different intensity along the whole border at the moment. Defense Army units continue to confidently control the situation." [Shushan Stepanyan] 

21:02 "Only today we managed to hit about 45 armored equipment engaged in the battle. Today our troops also managed to hit about 8-9 dozen armored equipment that was outside of the battles via remote fires. Today we hit 10 UAVs and generally, 113 UAVs were hit by Armenian forces as of today. The loss of the enemy's total armor equipment is 250 units. Only today we hit 3 Smerch, 3 enemy planes, and 1 helicopter of the enemy."  [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

20:29 Stepanakert under shelling again.

19։30 There are several ways to impose peace․ One is what our army does on the battlefield. The second way, if we talk about Azerbaijan and Turkey, is the various international mechanisms, as we say, persuasion, sanctions. [Artsakh MFA Minister Masis Mailyan]

17:30 "I want to say that now the citizen of the Republic of Armenia, the citizen of the Artsakh Republic is no longer the traveler of Deir-Zor. Today, more than ever, we are imbued with an indestructible determination to defend our identity, our homeland, our right." [Nikol Pashinyan]

17։30 "We live in perhaps the most crucial stage of our millennial history. Azerbaijani-Turkish bandits do not pursue only military or military-political issues, they do not come only after Karabakh, they did not come only to occupy territories, villages or cities, their goal is the Armenians, their goal is the Armenian Genocide, this is the continuation of their policy. And they set a task to continue the Armenian Genocide today." [Nikol Pashinyan]

17։30 "In addition to the Azerbaijani army units, Syrian mercenaries and terrorists, as well as special units of the Turkish army are involved in the attacks. According to our information, about 150 high-ranking servicemen of the Turkish army are in the command posts of different units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and lead the military operations. This description should testify as to how heavy the fighting is on the front line." [Nikol Pashinyan]

16:50 "The Defense Army destroyed a large group of enemy armored equipment, a significant amount of weapons and personnel preparing for the attack. Thus, the enemy's offensive plans failed in one of the directions." [Shushan Stepanyan]

16:09 Armenian Armed forces confirmed another 51 casualties.

15:40 In contempt of the persistent calls of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries and the entire international community on the immediate cessation of hostilities, Azerbaijan and Turkey jointly continue large-scale hostilities with the aim of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by military means.

To this end, Azerbaijan has put forward its entire military capacities, reinforced by Turkish military assistance, which includes also foreign terrorists fighters transferred from other conflict zones in the Middle East. The civilian settlements and civilian population on the entire territory of Artsakh are being subjected to systematic and massive attacks, resulting in human casualties and destruction. These actions aim at depriving the people of Artsakh of their historical homeland by perpetrating mass atrocities.

The Republic of Armenia, as the guarantor of the security of the people of Artsakh, will take all the necessary means and steps to prevent those mass atrocities.

The political-military leadership of Azerbaijan will pay a high price for committing such grave crimes against the Armenians of Artsakh, for importing terrorists to the region and for undermining the regional security.

14:40 The international media group is unable to enter Artsakh from the Armenia side due to the dangerous situation on the road to Nagorno Karabakh.

"We left Yerevan yesterday, but found out that road was under shelling, the bomb hit the bridge. We had to spend the night in Goris," said one of the journalist. The group includes representatives of the BBC, SkyNews and other media outlets. [Armenpress]

13։35 Georgia has temporarily banned the transportation of military cargo by Armenia and Azerbaijan through its airspace and land.

This was stated by the head of the National Security Council Vakhtang Gomelauri, emphasizing that there will be no restrictions on civilian cargo transportation. According to the Georgian official, official Tbilisi informed the two neighboring countries about it. [azatutyun.am]

13:30 Stepanakert calls on the international community to recognize Artsakh's independence.

"Under the current circumstances, the international recognition of Artsakh is the only effective mechanism for restoring peace and security in the region," the statement issued by the Artsakh Foreign Ministry reads.

The NKR Foreign Ministry noted that the large-scale armed attack by Azerbaijan on Artsakh is accompanied by serious violations of the norms of international humanitarian law, as well as the laws and customs applied during armed conflicts.

13:20 The Artsakh Defense Army managed to stop the large-scale attack launched by the enemy today. In one of the directions, our forces counterattacked. In the other parts there are heavy defensive battles. [Spokesman for MoD]

12։00 "By means of remote attack equipment, Azerbaijan started targeting civilian infrastructure that could cause an environmental disaster." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

08։51 "Two more planes of Azerbaijani forces were hit 10 minutes ago. Tense battles continue." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

08։38 "At around 08:25, an enemy aircraft was hit in the southern direction." [Shushan Stepanyan]

08։23 "Stubborn and heavy battles are taking place in the northern and southern directions of the Artsakh border. The enemy, concentrating great forces in these areas, launched an attack. Armenian units stop the enemy's advancement, causing great losses."  [Shushan Stepanyan]

08։06 "I am now leaving for the front line with the special units to fight my share of battle as at this point I will be more valuable on the front line than in the rear. I call on all of you to immediately stand up and with complete devotion defend our inalienable right to live in our homeland without ontological danger. This is a holy patriotic war, which we must win with the maximum participation and dedication of everyone." [Arayik Harutyunyan]

06։35 "Intelligence data suggests that the number of Azerbaijani casualties already exceeds 3,000.  Most of the bodies are in the neutral zone and practically no steps are taken to remove them." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

 

October 2 / Day 6

 

23:30 French President Emanuel Macron has announced that he has proposed a new method for resuming the Minsk Group talks. According to him, the works will start on Friday evening. [reuters.com]

22:30 On the initiative of Stelios Kimpouropoulos, Member of the European Parliament, 24 Members of Parliament sent a written inquiry to the President of the EU Council on the Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh. In particular, they ask whether the EU is going to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan, what steps the EU Council is going to take to put pressure on the Azerbaijani leadership to cease hostilities and withdraw its troops from Artsakh. [armenpress.am]

22:28 We have the necessary number of shelters to cover all the population, and if necessary, we have additional resources.
I officially announce that the city of Stepanakert is not being evacuated. Some villages were evacuated, which are on the border and are a few kilometers away from the battle line. The decision to evacuate the city of Stepanakert will be made in case of reasonable circumstances. [Artsakh State Minister Grigory Martirosyan] [t.me/infocomm]

22:27 It was decided that the services widely consumed by the public will be free in the near future. Both in Stepanakert and in the regional centers, the economic entities show the necessary responsible attitude. In case of non-payment of utilities, there will be no disconnections in Artsakh. In this regard, the companies have provided sufficient assistance. [Artsakh State Minister Grigory Martirosyan] [t.me/infocomm]

22։20 If Azerbaijan had an occupied settlement, its propaganda machine would not have shown two Ural cars as an achievement. What else did they show during 7 days? [Artsrun Hovhannisyan] [t.me/infocomm]

22:00 In recent days, many towns and villages in almost all regions have been shelled. We have victims and wounded among the civilian population.
A damage assessment commission has been set up. From tomorrow we plan to start the repair and restoration of residential buildings and other other civilian infrastructure. [Artsakh State Minister Grigory Martirosyan]

20:03 Azerbaijan just shelled 3 times Stepanakert with heavy rockets. Residential buildings destroyed. Many wounded. No exact information about casualities[Artak Beglaryan, Artsakh Ombudsman]

19։28 Canada is ready to suspend arms supplies to Turkey if the investigation reveals that Canadian technology leads to human rights violations. This was announced by the country's Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne.

19:20 Neither Armenia nor Nagorno-Karabakh had any reason to escalate the conflict, especially as they amde efforts to continue talks. It is Azerbaijan that has literally stated that if it fails to take over Nagorno-Karabakh through negotiations, it will do so by force. We must not forget that Karabakh has never been part of independent Azerbaijan. [Interview of Artsakh Deputy Foreign Minister Armine Aleksanyan to BBC.]

17:45 The Azerbaijani Armed Forces targeted a bus carrying journalists from various international media outlets. No casulties. [Artsakh Information Headquarters]

17։21 The civilian population is suffering as a result of the resumption of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh, the Red Cross sounded today.

The international organization claims that hundreds of houses, schools and hospitals have been destroyed as a result of the shelling that has been going on for six days.
"Our ability to move is limited due to the ongoing intense fighting," said Bertrand Lamon, head of the Red Cross mission in Nagorno-Karabakh.

17:02 During the recent escalation of the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh, Ukraine will not provide military assistance to any of the parties. The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov wrote on Twitter.
"Ukraine will not provide military assistance to any side of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. However the medical help for the deputies with too vivid imagination bright a vision can be sought all over the country," Avakov wrote.

Earlier, Lyudmila Marchenko, a member of Ukraine's ruling People's Servant party and a member of the Verkhovna Rada, said that Ukraine was ready to provide military assistance to Azerbaijan. [hetq.am]

17։00 As a result of the shelling of Stepanakert by the Azerbaijani armed forces, there are 10 wounded in the Artsakh Rescue Service. Their lives are not in danger, the Armenian Unified Information Center reports.

16:30 Official Baku has rejected the call of the Minsk Group leaders to establish an immediate ceasefire and resume talks.

"In order to end the conflict, Armenia must withdraw its troops from Nagorno Karabakh," said Hikmet Hajiyev, Advisor to the President of Azerbaijan.

Responding to the call of the superpowers, Yerevan stated today that he will continue to resolutely oppose the aggression, at the same time ready to work for the restoration of the ceasefire. 

16։25 At around 16:00, five enemy planes and three helicopters were hit by precise strikes of the Artsakh Defense Army. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

16:02 A ceasefire is needed in the Karabakh conflict zone, the German Chancellor stated.

"We are in favor of stopping the fire as soon as possible. "The only way to find a solution to this difficult problem is through dialogue," said Angela Merkel.

15:10 Turkey describes as "unconvincing, insincere" the call of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries to cease hostilities in the Karabakh conflict zone.

"Ceasefire calls from countries that have not been able to find a just solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for years are neither convincing nor sincere," Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said today.

This is Ankara's first official reaction to the statement made yesterday by the leaders of the United States, France, Russia, Donald Trump, Emanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin.

Baku has not officially responded so far.

Official Yerevan stated today that Armenia will continue to resolutely oppose the aggression, at the same time ready to work for the restoration of the ceasefire [azatutyun.am]

14:20 "There will be an approportionate response, for which the Aliyev's family will be fully responsible." [Spokesperson of Artsakh president Vahram Poghosyan]

13:48 "They shelled Stepanakert" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]
There are many injuries and damge to the civil infrastructure in Stepanakert.The rescue service is damaged.

 

13:30 Turkey should be expelled from the OSCE Minsk Group for its biased and belligerent behavior, the Armenian Prime Minister said in an interview with French "Figaro".

Referring to yesterday's call of the Presidents of the United States, France and Russia to stop hostilities, Nikol Pashinyan said․ "It's Turkey and Azerbaijan that must stop the hostilities, because they are the offensive side, and at the moment they are killing Armenians. Nagorno Karabakh cannot be disarmed, as it will lead to genocide."

13:15 "Hadrut under shelling again" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

13:01 The United States calls on the conflicting parties to establish a ceasefire and condemns the intervention of third forces, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview with Fox News yesterday.
"We are against this conflict becoming international, we think that outside forces should stay away. We call for a ceasefire," Pompeo said, noting that the US administration had spoken to Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders urging them to cease fire."

12:51 The European Union (EU) has called on Turkey to end its involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to play a constructive role in easing tensions, European Council President Charles Michel said at a news conference.

12:40 All services of "Karabakh Telecom" will be free of charge until January 1.

"I have made a decision today to transfer the management powers of Karabakh Telecom CJSC to the Ministry of Economy and Production Infrastructure of the Republic of Artsakh. Taking into account the problems registered in the work of the operator in the current war situation, the strategic importance of the communication sector for the country and the people at war, we make the management state-owned." [President of the Republic of Artsakh]

11:53 Smerch just hit the city of Hadrut. There are civilians wounded. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11:20 Statement from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RA:
"We welcome the fact that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs at the level of their leaders reacted to the use of force in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone by way of strong condemnation.
Armenia has been consistently rejecting and condemning the threat or use of force by Azerbaijan and the direct involvement of Turkey in the hostilities against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The aggressive joint actions of Azerbaijan and Turkey and the use of foreign terrorist fighters have been undermining regional security and peace, significantly raising the risks of a full-fledged war. This aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh must immediately cease.

Armenia remains committed to the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. While this aggression against Nagorno Karabakh will continue to receive our strong and resolute response, we stand ready to engage with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries to re-establish a ceasefire regime based on the 1994-1995 agreements."

10։45 The Facebook page of Anonymous Greece reports that it has attacked and hacked 76 key government websites in Azerbaijan, along with the central domain. Earlier it was reported that Greek hackers, in support of Armenians, hacked 83 Azerbaijani websites. [shantnews.am]

10։25 Macron urges NATO partners to confront Turkey's behavior. [azatutyun.am]

France accuses Turkey of sending Syrian jihadists to Nagorno-Karabakh. This "serious new fact" is changing the situation, said President Emanuel Macron.

Turkey is known to deny the involvement of mercenaries in hostilities in the Karabakh conflict zone.

"We now have information that Syrian jihadist militants crossed into Gaziantep [a city in southeastern Turkey, formerly Ayntap] to reach the scene of the Nagorno-Karabakh war," he told reporters after arriving at an EU summit in Brussels yesterday. : "This is a very serious new fact that is changing the situation," he said.

Today, Macron demanded that Turkey explain the arrival of jihadist militants in Azerbaijan and urged NATO to confront its ally, France-Presse news agency reported.

"The red line has been crossed, which is unacceptable. I urge all NATO partners to confront the behavior of a NATO member," he said.

10:11 "An Israeli-made radio station was found near the wounded officer of the enemy, the decoding and use of which revealed that the groups in the mentioned directions were led mainly in Arabic. I leave the conclusions to you." [Deputy Commander of the Defense Army Arthur Sargsyan]

10:01 Armenian side confirms 54 new casualties [Deputy Commander of the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh Arthur Sargsyan]

08:32 At around 07:55, the Air Defense Units of the Armenian forces shot down an enemy UAV in the north-eastern direction of Artsakh.

Fighting continues along the Artsakh frontline. The attempts of the enemy to break through the defense of our troops at separate parts failed. [Shushan Stepanyan]

01:22 According to the location data of the air defense, as of 00:15 four UAVs were shot down by the Armed Forces of Armenia- one in Kotayk, the other three in Gegharkunik regions. The destroyed drones were all used for surveillance and reconnaissance.
Thus, today a total of 7 drones were destroyed in the airspace of the Republic of Armenia. [Shushan Stepanyan]

01:10 In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, 50 US Congressmen demanded that the Trump administration invest all available resources to deter further aggressive actions by Azerbaijan. An additional cause for concern is Turkey's financial assistance and encouragement. Turkish involvement poses a threat to an ongoing regional conflict that could jeopardize important US security priorities with a humanitarian catastrophe. [1lurer.am]

 

October 1 / Day 5

23:45 "Turkey unequivocally supports Azerbaijan. We know this. But this does not mean that we are on the other side and support Armenia against Azerbaijan. It is not true. We support a fair settlement, we support a ceasefire, we support a cessation of hostilities," [Russian Representative in UN Nebenzia] 

23:30 "Four enemy drones appeared in the air of Kotayk and Gegharkunik regions. Armenian air defense forces have already destroyed three of them. The process of locating and neutralizing the fourth is underway." [Nikol Pashinyan]
UPDATE: All four drones are destroyed

22:51 During the live broadcast on the Azerbaijani TV "Khural" journalist Avaz Zeynalli confirmed the information that in the Talish city of Lankaran (south of Azerbaijan Republic), the population boycotts Aliyev's order on conscription into the army.

22:47 "The enemy used artillery in the direction of Shatvan village of the Gegharkunik region of Armenia, as well as fired a missile from the strike UAV at Mets Masrik settlement, as a result of which Gorg Vardanyan, born in 1967, was killed and two civilians were wounded to varying degrees." [Shushan Stepanyan]

22։27 A senior US Department of Defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that hundreds of Syrian mercenaries were being sent from Turkey to support Azerbaijan in the conflict against Armenia. The official described what is happening in Nagorno-Karabakh as "a small war with big consequences", which, according to him, makes it impossible to reach a settlement of the conflict, as "neither side will surrender." [Sky News Arabia]

22։21 In a telephone conversation with Lavrov, Cavusoglu spoke in favor of an immediate cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Just a few hours before this, Erdogan announced that the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Artsakh is a precondition for a ceasefire.

22։05 Armenia recalls the Ambassador to Israel
These days, when the whole international community calls on Azerbaijan to cease hostilities, Israel continues to supply weapons to Azerbaijan, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan told reporters, announcing that they have decided to recall the Armenian ambassador to Israel.

"Based on the current situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to recall the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Israel for consultations," she said.

21:55 Azerbaijani losses as of now:

21:30 Artsakh doctors managed to save the life of the French journalist Allan Kaval, who was severely injured in the Azerbaijani shelling in Martuni today. [Artsakh information center]

20։57 "During our fact-finding work, we have registered cases of use of cluster bombs by Azerbaijani army, which are prohibited by international conventions." [Artsakh Human Rights Defender Artak Beglaryan] 

20:52 "Russia and Turkey promise to take systematic steps to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict" Moscow said after a telephone conversation between the two countries՛ foreign ministers today.

"Karabakh tensions were discussed in detail, the ministers expressed serious concern over the ongoing hostilities and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. to return to the diplomatic circle."

Hours ago, the Turkish President criticized the joint statement of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries to establish a ceasefire, insisting that "a ceasefire will be established only when Armenia withdraws its armed forces from the occupied territories."' [Azatutyun.am]

20:41 At the moment we have 11 civilian victims և 60 more wounded, 42 of them with serious injuries. [Artsakh Ombudsman Artak Beglaryan]

19:30 "Russia has its own information that foreign militants are being transported to the Karabakh conflict zone."

The statement came from Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. This is how she answered the question on what basis the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the inadmissibility of transporting foreign militants to the conflict zone.

19:02 "4 people were killed and 11 were injured in Martuni." [Human Rights Defender]

19:00 The Azerbaijani Army shelled the Vardenis-Sotk highway in Armenia, according to Shushan Stepanyan

18։40 "The attacks carried out from the Azerbaijani territory on Sunday, have no justification, and I’ve directly told that to the President of the Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev." [Emmanuel Macron]

17։45 The governor of the Iranian province Khodafarin announced that a 6-year-old child was wounded when a rocket fired during an artillery barrage by multiple rocket launchers hit a residential building in the village of Parvizkhanlu. The location of the village suggests that the rocket must have been fired from Azerbaijani positions. Parvizkhanlu is located to the south-west of the Line of Contact, to the rear of Artsakh Defense Army positions, on the Artsakh-Iran border, 10 to 12 km from the position of the Azerbaijani armed forces and the Azerbaijani border. [Infocom]

17։30 According to preliminary data, the planes hit by the air defense units of the Defense Army today were Su-25, and the helicopters were MI-24.

17։22 A resident of the town of Martuni, who was wounded by the Azeri shelling and was leading a group of journalists of the French "Le Monde" periodical, was killed during the shelling. [hetq.am]

17։10 In response to the statements of Afghanistan supporting the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression, the RA National Assembly officially applied to the Secretariat of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly to start the process of depriving Afghanistan of its observer status. [NA President Ararat Mirzoyan]

17։01 "France has "accurate information" that Syrian militants from Turkey are taking part in hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh" [Emanuel Macron]

France has "accurate information" that Syrian militants from Turkey are taking part in hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. This was announced on Thursday by French President Emmanuel Macron upon his arrival at the EU summit in Brussels. “We have accurate information that indicates that Syrian militants have left the battlefield in Gaziantep (a province in southern Turkey - TASS) to join the fighting in Karabakh. This is very serious. We will discuss it here on summit, "he said.

16:50 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: "it is unacceptable when the OSCE Minsk Group demands a ceasefire, it must first demand that the Armenians withdraw their troops from Azerbaijan."

16:50 Why has Turkey returned to the South Caucasus 100 years later? To continue the Armenian Genocide.
For Turkey, however, continuing a genocidal policy is not only a means of implementing Armenophobia, but also a pragmatic task. Armenia and the Armenians of the South Caucasus are the last remaining obstacle on the way of continued Turkish expansion towards the North, the North East, and the East, and the realization of its imperialistic dream.
It is no longer merely the Karabakh issue, nor a security issue of the Armenian people. It is now an issue of international security, and today, the Armenian people are defending also international security, assuming what may be a new historic mission. [Nikol Pashinyan]

16։38 Russia, the United States, France, call the conflicting parties for a ceasefire and the resumption of the Karabakh talks. The presidents of the three countries, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Emanuel Macron, made the following joint statement:

"We call on the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately and honestly fulfill their commitments without preconditions, to resume talks under the umbrella of the OSCE Minsk Group," the joint statement of the Russian, US and French leaders reads.

The leaders of the three OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries also expressed their condolences to the families of those killed in the hostilities.

16:20 Le Monde reporter is in critical condition, he is undergoing surgery at Stepanakert Medical Center.15։20 Jurnalists under attack. Some are in very critical condition.

  ​  

14:01 "Azerbaijani military forces are shelling the civilian population again. The town of Hadrut was hit by artillery."[Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

13:50 "Journalists of the French "Le Monde" newspaper came under shelling in the Artsakh city of Martuni, there are two wounded, both are citizens of France." [Head of Unified Information Center Hovhannes Movsisyan]

12:23 The economic situation in Artsakh is stable, the infrastructures are working, the people continue to live a normal life, typical of the war situation. [Speaker of the President of the Republic of Artsakh]

12:21 The enemy did not manage to advance even 1 centimeter in the direction of Martakert. [Lieutenant Colonel Suren Sarumyan, Deputy Spokesman for the Defense Army of the Republic of Artsakh]

12։20 "Most of the victims of the Azerbaijani side were representatives of national minorities living in Azerbaijan. 148 Lezgi soldiers were killed in one direction only. Several hundred casualties are recorded among the Talysh soldiers. [Speaker of the President of the Republic of Artsakh]

12:20 There are no active military operations in Vardenis at the moment. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

12:01 The battles have intensified since dawn. All the enemy's offensive attempts, regardless of their size, have failed. The RA Armed Forces have 350-360 casualties, about 600 wounded, 3 helicopters, 15 different types of armored vehicles, 1 SMERCH station, 6 UAV [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11։51 "We've discovered syringes at the pockets of almost all dead Azerbaijani soldiers whose bodies ended up at the territory of Artsakh, which means that the Azerbaijani side sends its military forces to the battlefield already in numb condition. This is definitely a military crime." [Spokesperson of Artsakh president Vahram Poghosyan]

11:30 On October 1, in the southern part of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict zone, in the area of Varazatumb (Lele Tepe), the units of the Defense Army shot down an enemy combat helicopter, which crashed in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

11:20 A case of high treason committed by a former high-ranking military serviceman has been revealed in the National Security Service.

10:14 "Finally, our diplomacy registered a great victory. The international community clearly recorded that the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem is fighting against Artsakh and Armenia with the help of mercenary terrorists.
Artsakh is fighting against international terrorism, the targets of which are not separated by geopolitical borders."
/Nikol Pashinyan/

8:18 “During the night relatively stable tension was maintained on the line of contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijani. In different directions mutual artillery and rifle firing was continuing. In an attempt to improve its military positions, the enemy tried to implement some regroupings
and military movements, which were tracked and prevented by the subdivisions of Defence Army. The operative military situation hasn’t been changed. At the moment, the stable tension along the whole perimeter of the frontline is being maintained. Defence Army’s subdivision and servicemen on duty are ready for the further military actions.” /Shushan Stepanyan/

2:50 At the initiative of the French side, a telephone conversation took place between Putin and Macron. During the conversation, the sharply aggravated situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone was discussed in detail. The Presidents expressed serious concern over the ongoing large-scale hostilities and expressed readiness to call on behalf of the leaders of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Russia, France and the United States) for an immediate end to the armed confrontation and the resumption of the negotiation process. An agreement was reached on further contacts.

00:40 Through Hayastan All Armenian Fund's "We Are Our Borders. All for Artsakh" campaign Armenians from all over the world raised more than $10 million. In four days.

 

September 30 / Day 4

 

22։38 During April war, Azerbaijan was fighting against Artsakh, and Russia was able to "persuade" Azerbaijan and ask Armenia for a ceasefire. Today they must talk to Armenia and Turkey. I do not know how much the Russian government is ready to talk to the Turkish leadership. [Arayik Harutyunyan]

22։35 We do not look for mercenaries in other countries, we do not make those same mercenaries a plague on our heads over time. [Arayik Harutyunyan]

22:31 I am amazed at the human qualities of the Azerbaijani government, because "hundreds of corpses were left on the front lines." They are very indifferent to the fate of their country's children. This is the image of a non-human barbarian. [Arayik Harutyunyan]

22:30 The Ministry of Defense of Artsakh has published the names of another 23 servicemen killed during the battles against Azerbaijan, bringing the number of total confirmed casualties from the Armenian side to 103.

22:08 "Within the last four days we’ve destroyed as much military equipment as we did during the entire Artsakh Liberation Movement." [Arayik Harutyunyan]

21։02 According to the information received, illegal armed groups, particularly from Syria and Libya, are being transferred to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone for direct participation in the hostilities. We call on the leaders of the states concerned to take effective measures to prevent the use of foreign terrorists, mercenaries, in the conflict and to remove them from the region immediately. [Russian Foreign Ministry] [armenpress.am]

19:55 "Georgia is ready to hold Armenian-Azerbaijani talks in Tbilisi," Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said in Brussels today. According to the head of the Georgian government, official Tbilisi wants peace to be established in the region.

"The establishment of peace is in the interests of all of us. "We once again call on the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and international actors to use their full potential to end the escalation of the conflict," he said.

19։37 Azerbaijani losses as of now:

 

18:02 "The Republic of Azerbaijan handed over the air command of offensive operations against the Artsakh Republic to the Turkish Air Forces.
Starting from 10:00 am today, two F-16 fighter jets of the Turkish Air Forces flying from Kurdamir, as well as the SU-25 aircrafts of the Azerbaijani Air Force, the Bayraktar reconnaissance and surveillance attack drones carried out bombing and missile attacks at high altitudes in the direction of settlements of Hadrut and Martuni regions of the Artsakh Republic.
The air force is being operated under the remote command and control of the Turkish E7-T airborne C2 station from Erzurum- Kars area. The command and leadership of the Turkish Air Forces is most possibly on the board. Apart from that, Turkish UAV C2 station is located at a distance from the border with Hadrut region, which directly controls the fire of Azerbaijani attack planes. The above-mentioned information is being directly monitored and observed by the C2 of the joint air defense and aviation command.
Materials of live monitoring and recording systems will be presented soon." [Shushan Stepanyan]

18:00 The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia officially states that the information actively spread by the Azerbaijani media that the Armenian side allegedly used the Tochka-U missile system today is obviously false and does not correspond to reality. At the same time, we strongly warn that if the Azerbaijani side intends to use this misinformation to justify any retaliatory actions and to use a similar or larger caliber and long-range missile systems, the response of the Armenian side will be instantaneous, strong, and extremely destructive.

17:58 During the day, hostilities continued in all directions of the front line. The Defense Army units continue to deliver devastating blows to the enemy, as a result of which the Azerbaijani Armed Forces lost "Smerch" and "Uragan" units, dozens of other artillery and anti-tank units, 1 TOS 1 unit, 11 tanks, 3 IFV and 6 armored vehicles. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

17։51 Ilham Aliyev de facto recognizing that they are the ones who started the hostilities:
"Negotiations over Karabakh have not yielded results, now the calls for dialogue are meaningless. We hoped (from the negotiation process). They had given us that hope, they had sent us signals that, be patient, the issue will be resolved. But I said that the people of Azerbaijan will not accept the occupation. After all, I said that in case of no success in the negotiations, Azerbaijan has the right to resolve the issue by military means. That right was given to us by the Azerbaijani people and the norms of international law." [President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev] 

15:30 We do not support Turkey's statement on political assistance to Azerbaijan in connection with the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. We call on all countries in the region to show restraint, especially on the countries involved in the conflict and to cease fire immediately. [Spokesman for the Russian President Dmitry Peskov]

15:15 An enemy warplane recently bombed the town of Martakert, killing three civilians and wounding several others. Official Baku is openly attacking the civilian population, violating all norms of international law. [Spokesman for the President of Azerbaijan Vahram Poghosyan]

15:10 We aim to establish lasting peace and stability in the region. We do not want this situation to happen again in 2-3 years, for example. But Armenia will never act to the detriment of its national interests, the interests of Nagorno Karabakh. [Nikol Pashinyan in a conversation with several Russian media] [armenpress.am]

15:00 Fighting continued along the entire border of Artsakh, it was not as intense as yesterday. But in some places there was artillery shelling. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

14:30 "I will talk to President Putin tonight, I think tomorrow to President Trump on the issue of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, to exchange views, to suggest ways out of the crisis". [French President Emmanuel Macron] 

13։16 France is extremely concerned about Turkey's bellicose statements, which, in fact, "free Azerbaijan from restraining its actions." The statement came from French President Emanuel Macron at a joint press conference with his Latvian counterpart Krishjanis Karins, RIA Novosti reported.

Earlier, Turkey stated that it would provide any assistance to Azerbaijan, both diplomatically and on the battlefield.

"We will not allow it. I clearly tell Armenia, the Armenian people, France will play its role, we will be vigilant in respecting the families, the people, the sovereignty. "We do not accept any statement that contributes to the escalation," he said.

Macron described Turkey's political statements on the Karabakh conflict as dangerous and ill-considered.

   

13:13 "The fighting continues at the moment. The divisions of the Artsakh Defense Army carry out punitive actions in specific sections. A large number of the enemy's manpower, armaments and military equipment were destroyed, including the "TOS-1A" heavy artillery system." [Shushan Stepanyan]

13:05 Full Artcile: RUSSIAN REACTION TO THE NEW KARABAKH WAR: PARTNER OR BYSTANDER? 

12:51 Last night, the Armenian residents of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia blocked the "Kartsakh" checkpoint on the Turkish-Georgian border, demanding to stop the entry of Turkish trucks into the country.

According to the Georgian service of "Azatutyun", the protesters claimed that Turkey was supplying weapons to Azerbaijan through the territory of Georgia. A large number of police forces retreated during the protest. The action, however, passed without serious incidents and ended a few hours after the start.

12։40  Armenia does not consider the deployment of peacekeeping forces in the Karabakh conflict zone, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in a conversation with Russian media.

"There is no such issue on our agenda," the Armenian Prime Minister told Interfax. Armenia does not think holding a Moscow-Yerevan-Baku summit is appropriate, in the context of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh. "It is not appropriate to talk about the summit during the hostilities, appropriate atmosphere and conditions are needed for the talks", the Armenian leader said.

  

12։30 Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia on the involvement of the Turkish armed forces։
On September 29, F-16 multifunctional fighter of the Turkish Air Forces, with base in the “Ganja” airport of Azerbaijan, downed within the airspace of the Republic of Armenia in Vardenis region the SU-25 Fighter of the Armenian Armed Forces which was carrying out combat tasks to repel the attacks of Azerbaijan on military and civilian objects. Major Valeri Danelin, pilot of the Armed Forces of Armenia, was killed.
This is not the first provocative action of the Turkish air forces. Since appearing in Azerbaijan, the Turkish air forces have been carrying out provocative flights along the line of contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. During the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan, they in fact have been providing air support to the combat units of the Azerbaijani army. Notably, provocative flights by Turkey have been carried out along the Armenian-Turkish border as well, on certain instances crossing and violating the airspace of Armenia. On September 27, in the same section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, a Turkish F-16 airplane violated the Armenia air space and launched missiles at the Vardenis region.
The Turkish air force appeared in Azerbaijan during the large-scale Turkish-Azerbaijani military drills held from July 29 to August 13 and, since then, has not been withdrawn from Azerbaijan.
The provocative actions of the Turkish armed forces seriously undermine the regional security and hinder the efforts of the international community to cease the hostilities.
International community called on the external actors to refrain from escalating the conflict, and Turkey should heed these calls.
We strongly condemn Turkey’s provocative actions and demand the immediate withdrawal of the Turkish armed forces, including the air force from the conflict zone.

12:04 Spokesman for the Artsakh President Vahram Poghosyan. "If Azerbaijan continues its aggressive actions during this period, we do not rule out that the Defense Army will not be satisfied by only restoring its former positions."

11:55 According to Anna Hakobyan, the wife of Nikol Pashinyan, their son Ashot will also go to the front as he’s a reservist.

11:40 Nikol Pashinyan said in a telephone interview to The Washingon Post, that Turkey “is creating instability in its neighborhood, in the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and now the South Caucuses. It poses an increasing threat to global security.”

10:33 The situation in Nagorno Karabakh will be discussed during the EU summit on October 1-2, according to the head of the EU executive body Charles Michel. "We will discuss current issues that require our attention, in particular, the situation in Belarus, the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, the escalation in Nagorno Karabakh," said Michel. [RIA Novosti]

10:30 "The Azerbaijani Air Force carries out mixed air strikes in the northern direction of the Artsakh Defense Army, using Turkish-made ATS.

F-16 multifunctional fighters belonging to the Air Force of the Republic of Turkey are also in the air. The enemy air force operates from a distance, not entering the area of air defense means. Air-to-surface long-range missiles are used. The conversations of the pilots in Turkish have been recorded." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

10:02 The Defense Army is able to intensively stop all offensive operations carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces with the support of the Turkish Armed Forces. All the offensive operations last night failed, the Azerbaijani army at the moment has a great loss of military equipment and manpower. [Speaker of the Artsakh President Vahram Poghosyan]

09։51 "Along the entire length of the Artsakh frontline there is artillery fire raging on at the moment. Overnight two enemy UAVs were shot in the air of Stepanakert․" [Shushan Stepanyan]

08։48 Armenian Unified Information Center reports, that on on September 29, the ECHR made a decision to apply an interim measure based on the application of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. The ECHR urges both Azerbaijan and Armenia to refrain from any means, in particular military action, that could lead to a violation of the conventional rights of the civilian population, including endangering their lives and health. 

08:33 Security Council members expressed concern over reports of large scale military actions along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. They strongly condemn the use of force and regret the loss of life and the toll on the civilian population. Security Council members voiced support for the call by the Secretary General on the sides to immediately stop fighting, de-escalate tensions and return to meaningful negotiations without delay. Security Council members expressed their full support for the central role of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and urge the sides to work closely with them for an urgent resumption of dialogue without preconditions

08։25 "There is artillery fire along the entire length of the Artsakh frontline. During the night, two enemy ATS were damaged in the sky of Stepanakert." [Shushan Stepanyan]

 

 

September 29 / Day 3

 

23:55 "We will not ask for a ceasefire, we must force a ceasefire. If we ask for a ceasefire, it will be the end of Armenia, not just Artsakh. Because we are not only fighting against Azerbaijan, but Turkey as well. And Turkey is not interested in Artsakh, Jabrayil, Lachin, Horadiz, they want the whole territory of Armenia to carry out their Pan-Turkic plans" [Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan]

22:24 

22։21 It can no longer be called a front line, it can be called a battlefield line. There are battles all over the front. A line means a certain border, which is approved and guarded by both sides. Now there is no protection. There are battles going on at the moment, the so-called front line can both deepen more into our territory, or deepen into the enemy territory [Deputy Commander of the Defense Army Arthur Sargsyan]

20:36 "The international community must strongly condemn the actions and aggression of Azerbaijan and Turkey and demand from Turkey to exit the region because the military presence of Turkey in the South Caucasus doesn't promise anything good. It can lead to further escalation or an increase in the scale of the war." [Nikol Pashinyan]

20:31 "According to our information, Turkish military instructors and high ranking military officials are currently at command posts of the Azerbaijan army, even leading military actions at some places." [Nikol Pashinyan]

20:29 Vice President Joe Biden "With casualties rapidly mounting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, the Trump Administration needs to call the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan immediately to de-escalate the situation. It must also demand others — like Turkey — to stay out of this conflict" 

20։20 "An Interesting aspect to the latest Azerbaijan attack is the fact that each and every modern Azeri leader including Aliyev has either come to power or fallen from power due to events on the NK battlefield. This shows that resuming war is a risky gambit for the Aliyev dynasty."  [Head of My Step Fraction, Lilit Makunts]

20։01 The OSCE Permanent Council has convened a special session to discuss the latest developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman Andrzej Kasprzyk will deliver a report. 

19։37 From the list of casualties of the Armenian side, 4 servicemen were proved alive. Thus, the number of casualties since the beginning of the hostilities was reviewed down to 80.

19:35 Azerbaijan is expanding the geography of hostilities to the territory of the Republic of Armenia with the active political and military assistance of Turkey. Armenia and Artsakh will give an adequate military and political response to Azerbaijan's attempts to undermine regional security and peace. [Nikol Pashinyan]

19:31 Official Ankara denies the information by the RA Ministry of Defense that the Su-25 attacker of the Armenian Air Force was hit by an F-16 multifunctional fighter of the Turkish Air Force in the airspace of the Republic of Armenia. The head of the Turkish Presidential Administration's public relations department said that "Turkey did not shoot down an Armenian plane." This morning, the spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan stated that the Azerbaijani side does not have F-16 fighter jets and does not use them in combat. [azatutyun.am]

19:20 Most likely, they (the Azeri-Turkish air attack) tried to hit the railway near Norakert community (Gegharkunik region), but missed․ The missles struck about few hundred meters away. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

18:50 Today at 10:30, the F-16 fighter jets that belong to the Air Force of the Republic of Turkey took off from Azerbaijani Ganja Airport and secured missile strikes of Azerbaijani  SU-25 and Bayraktar ATS missile of Turkish production from  Azerbaijani  Dalyar Airport towards the ground units of the Armenian settlements located in the  Vardenis, Mets Masrik and Sotk regions of the Republic of Armenia.

During the given period, the air defense units were performing combat tasks of fire support to the air defense units of the RA Armed Forces.
While performing the combat task, during the air and anti-aircraft battles, the F-16 multifunctional fighter of the Air Force of the Republic of Turkey hit the SU-25 attacker of the RA Air Force in the airspace of ARMENIA. 

The Armenian pilot died. 

The F-16 multifunctional fighter of the Republic of Turkey, according to the objective control means, was located at a depth of 60 km inside Armenia, at an altitude of 8200 meters.

17:30 At the moment, the Artsakh Defense Forces have no choice but to defend themselves, as they are now retaliating against large-scale attacks by the Azerbaijani armed forces along the line of contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. At the moment, the priority is to repel the attacks of the Azerbaijani forces and force them to return to the negotiating table.
The Armenian population of Artsakh was discriminated against when Artsakh was transferred to Azerbaijan by the decision of the Bolshevik government. [Zohrab Mnatsakanyan 's interview with BBC Newshour]

17:15 Stepanakert Municipality is currently bringing beds and other important accessories to the city's bombshelters, where hundreds of children and women are staying these days.

15։01 German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a telephone conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, emphasizing the need to immediately cease fire and return to the negotiating table.

14:29 During the September 29 session, the Russian State Duma adopted a statement on the current situation on the Artsakh-Azerbaijani border, where Russian parliamentarians called on the parties to return to talks and expressed readiness to mediate the stabilization of the situation.

The State Duma highlights the need for an immediate ceasefire, the inadmissibility of the escalation of the conflict in the region, and that there is no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the situation. "State Duma deputies call on the parties to return to the negotiation process immediately; they are ready to provide mediation assistance to stabilize the situation," the statement said.

In the statement, the deputies also express their concern over the sharp aggravation of the situation in the contact line of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani troops, which led to human casualties.

14:20 In the first minutes of a large-scale attack on Artsakh, Azerbaijan fired a 122-mm "Grad" projectile at a residential area of Stepanakert, right next to a kindergarten and school. [Artsakh / Information Headquarters]

13։37 The Azerbaijani armed forces attacked military and civilian infrastructures in the Vardenis region of Armenia, including targeting the civilian population, killing one civilian. [The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia].

12։49 "The villages of Vardenis are being shelled at the moment" [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

12:00 "In the early morning of September 29, the Azerbaijani side resumed large-scale offensive operations along almost the entire length of the Artsakh Defense Army defense line. In particular, TOS-1A heavy artillery systems are used in some directions during offensive operations.
The use of TOS, Smerch and other large-caliber systems changes the logic and volume of hostilities, taking it to a new level.
In this regard, the Defense Ministry warns that the Armenian armed forces are forced to use special types of weapons and military equipment with superior fire and destruction power, which will result in even heavier losses of manpower as well as heavier destruction of military equipment and movable and immovable property.
At this point, the units of the Defense Army are confidently repelling the attack of the enemy."

11։50 "Our soldiers have just shot down a helicopter. Possibly more than one"  [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11։35 All attacks from the very beginning are accompanied by intense, widespread hate speech. Of course, there has always been a high level of Armenophobia towards ethnic Armenians, but now the level of hatred has become systemic, intensified. Specially made videos are spread, which aim to cause fear, alarm among the civilian population, as well as calls for violence and murder. The most dangerous platform is the network called Tik-Tok, because it is impossible to control the content of materials there. This hate speech from both Azerbaijani and Turkish sources also targets children. [RA Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan]

11։30 "The situation on the border with Nakhichevan is relatively calm." [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11:29 "The death of the artillery chief of one of our divisions is a lie, the news about the complete destruction of the Martuni military unit is also a lie.
They are being defeated, their plans do not come true, they have excessive losses, we also have losses, but their losses and ours are incomparable, that is why they will try to invent such lies to feed their society. Please be careful". [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11։07 Civilian bus is on fire in Vardenis (Armenia) following the attack of Azerbaijani military forces [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11:03 "Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh have no reason to start a war. Contrary to the statement of the Azerbaijani leadership, the Prime Minister of Armenia reaffirmed in the UN General Assembly "the commitment to an exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict." When the whole world unites to fight the epidemic, Azerbaijan tries to use it to solve its political problems." [Speech by the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Switzerland during the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council]

11:01 Canada and Great Britain are deeply concerned about large-scale military operations along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. The news about the shelling of the settlements and the casualties among the civilian population causes deep concern. We call for an immediate end to hostilities, respect of the ceasefire agreement and the protection of civilian settlements. We support the work of the OSCE Minsk Group. [Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministries of Great Britain and Canada] 

10։51 The European Court of #HumanRights has received a request for interim measures lodged by Armenia against Azerbaijan.

10։22 "Azerbaijan opened fire on the RA Vardenis military unit as well as used airpower in the direction of the borderlines. This action of the enemy was preceded by the misinformation spread by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, claiming that the RA military forces allegedly fired rockets from the Vardenis region towards the Dashkesan region of Azerbaijan. Thus, in fact, the opponent tried to prepare the ground to substantiate his further actions. Wait for a tough answer." /Shushan Stepanyan/

09։55 "The Hematology Center would like to thank all the volunteers who joined our call and donated blood. Please be informed that the required blood count has been replenished at the moment, please do not visit the Hematology Center. We will inform you again if necessary." /R. H. Yolyan Hematology Center/

09:41 RA MFA statement on misinformation of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan:
"We completely deny the accusation of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan against Armenia for firing rockets from the Vardenis region of the Republic of Armenia into the Dashkesan region of Azerbaijan. This misinformation is absolutely false, it aims to pave the way for the expansion of the geography of hostilities, including aggression against the Republic of Armenia.
We strongly condemn Azerbaijan's attempts to further destabilize regional peace and security, with the full responsibility of which lies with the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan"

08:41 An old woman was killed by the enemy's ATS in the yard of her house in Hadrut. There are 3 wounded. Infrastructure was damaged in the regional center, power lines were smashed by the bombing. It was possible to restore the power supply in a short time. Natural gas flow is interrupted. /Artsakh TV/

08:30 “Given the situation and the recent developments we are actively discussing our possible corresponding steps, in particular, signing a politico – military alliance with Artsakh” [Head of My Step Fraction, Lilit Makunts]

08։13 The enemy has started active artillery preparation, getting ready for the next attack. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

08:07 The press secretary of RA MoD informs that the battles with different intensities continue.  At the moment, the Armenian units in several directions of the line of contact have repulsed the attacks of the Azerbaijani armed forces, taking punitive actions in some areas, causing significant losses of manpower and equipment to the enemy.
In particular, a group of armored vehicles was destroyed in southern direction earlier this morning.

05։40 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by the initiative of the latter. Referring to the situation on the Line of Contact during the conversation, the Prime Minister noted that in contrast to the escalations of previous years, this one is characterized by Turkey's very active, biased position and direct destabilizing presence in the Azerbaijani actions. The UN Secretary-General on hist turn, expressed deep concern over the current situation and developments, stressing the need to resume the peace process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

01:47 A 9-year-old child was killed in Martakert as a result of the continuous hostile actions of Azerbaijan, targeting this time a  civilian car. The doctors informed that the mother of the child has gunshot wounds on both legs.

 

September 28 / Day 2

23։58 The Artsakh Ministry of Defense published the names of another 26 servicemen killed today. The total number of casualties from the Armenian side reached 84.

23։38 By the decree of the Artsakh President, 46 servicemen of the Defense Army killed in Artsakh were posthumously awarded the "Combat Service" medal.

23։31 The UN Security Council will discuss the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict tomorrow.

23։13 Pashinyan calls on Merkel to make every effort to "curb Turkey's aggressive stance․"

23։11 Last night we managed to retake many positions that we had lost during the day. For a moment we could not count how much equipment we were hitting. However, we have not yet achieved great success. Our tactic is to inflict as many human casualties and losses of military equipment as they had in 92-94․ A large-scale war is going on. We do not see possibilities for a ceasefire. [Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan]

22:59 Armenian volunteers leaving for the front line in Artsakh (photos)

22:22 Armenian forces shot down an Azeri plane in the Martuni region of Artsakh. [Speaker of the Artsakh President Vahram Poghosyan]

22։20 President of Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan: "A large-scale war is going on. We do not see possibilities for a ceasefire"

21։47 "If the war continues, the RA National Assembly should discuss the issue of recognizing Artsakh's independence" [Speaker of the Artsakh National Assembly]

21:40 "We must condemn this aggression, urge Baku to cease hostilities and return to the negotiating table. We must stop military aid to Azerbaijan, call on Turkey to refrain from deploying weapons or militants" [US Congressman Brad Sherman]

21:01 "Thousands of volunteers have already joined the Defense Army. Although I have officially announced mobilization, they often arrive at military commissariats sooner than they are informed. There are many people coming from the Motherland, we have hundreds of applications from the Diaspora. The unity and collective will of our compatriots make our victory unstoppable". [President of the Republic of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan]

20:52 "The enemy launched a new large-scale offensive in the Araks Valley and Mataghis-Talish. The Artsakh Defense Army successfully resists all attacks, inflicting significant losses of personnel and equipment on the enemy. At the moment, 22 enemy tanks and 10 other armored vehicles have been destroyed. More than 370 servicemen were destroyed. They have a large number of wounded. According to the information received, the number of seriously wounded soldiers is 35%".  [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

20:40 The briefing of Artsakh Deputy Defense Army Arthur Sargsyan summarized:

• At the moment, hostilities continue in the northern, southern and south-eastern directions. The intensity and high dynamics of the hostilities are maintained, typical to full-scale battle, increasing hour by hour in some places.
• In the mentioned directions, the units of the Defense Army wage persistent defensive battles, stopping the continuous attempts of the enemy, including a large number of armored vehicle troops
• As of 17:00 today, the following losses of the enemy were registered ․ - about 36 ATS, - 47 armored vehicles, - More than 400 casualties
• According to preliminary data, the Armenian side has 58 casualties and more than 200 wounded servicemen.
• Positional changes naturally occurred with a certain positional depth. Battles took place during the night, in some parts our position was restored.
• At the moment, there is no reliable data on the capture of an Azerbaijani officer in the Defense Army.
• The Defense Army does not have any problems in terms of both logistical and technical support, especially combat support.

20:14  

20։00 The CSTO Secretary-General expresses his deep concern over the resumption of the armed conflict in Nagorno Karabakh, during which both sides had casualties and injuries, including among the civilian population. The ceasefire regime is violated, heavy weapons are used. The current situation does not contribute to the implementation of the 1994 ceasefire agreement. It is necessary to restore the ceasefire regime and return to the negotiation process led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

19:51 According to the Artsakh Deputy Defense Minister Arthur Sargsyan, Azerbaijan has over 400 casualties. Today Armenian military forces destroyed 36 drones and 47 armored vehicles

18։16 Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Ruben Sadoyan gave interviews to leading Georgian Rustavi 2, Imedi և Georgian Public Television media, referring to Azerbaijan's military aggression against Artsakh, Turkey's destructive actions, Azerbaijan's use of mercenaries, as well as Azerbaijan's targeting of civilians.

In interviews, the ambassador condemned the aggressive statements of Ethnic Azerbaijani MPs in the Georgian parliament, noting that multinational Georgia is not a country whose members of parliament can afford such statements.

17։33 "Turkey has always supported Azerbaijan via different statements, but this time the support is qualitatively different. Today Azerbaijani army fights with Turkish weapons, along with Turkish experts. We can say that Artsakh is fighting against the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance - Anna Naghdalyan, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia

17:05 "The large-scale enemy tank attack in the southern direction is stopped" - RA MoD press secretary Shushan Stepanyan

16:50 Since the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, Ankara has been mastering the art of producing its own proxy forces who were transferable from one war scene to another, wherever Turkish would choose to intervene. Days after the July conflagration on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border the Russian TASS agency said that unnamed officials from both Turkey and Azerbaijan denied reports by the Kurdish Firat agency on transferring Syrian militants to the conflict zone by Ankara, however since the new escalation on the border, the topic is once again on the agenda.
Full article: https://regionalpost.org/en/articles/sowing-violence-reaping-destruction-turkeys-pocket-army-in-karabakh.html

16:20 "In the south-eastern direction, the enemy launched a tank attack, but, meeting the stubborn resistance of the Defense Army's tank and anti-tank units, lost ten pieces of armored vehicles in a tank battle. Fighting continues. The operative-tactical situation is under the control of the Defense Army units"  - RA MoD press secretary Shushan Stepanyan

16:00 The European Union (EU) has called on regional powers to refrain from interfering in hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, condemning "serious tensions" that threaten regional stability.

EU foreign policy chief Peter Stano said on Monday that Brussels could not confirm the presence of foreign forces in the conflict, and added, according to France-Presse. "Any foreign intervention in this conflict is inadmissible."

15:35 Armenian side confirms in total 59 military casualties in the battles of September 27-28. 2 civil casualties, a grandmother and her granddaughter, 9, were confirmed yesterday. 

15:32 Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitriy Peskov, told journalists that Moscow and many other countries are concerned about the situation in Artsakh. "We think that military actions should stop immediately. Now it's important to stop the fire, instead of figuring out who is to blame." told Peskov, adding that Moscow is in contact with Turkey about the situation. 

15:28 Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan's wife Anna Hakobyan visited several shelters in Stepanakert, Artsakh, and met children, women and elders. [Photos: Infocom]

14:44 The city of Martakert and the surrounding settlements continue to be under intense shelling. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

14։40 "The density of artillery use, the density of fire is unprecedented․ There has never been such a density of fire in this region. Our artillerymen, as always, shine with their expertise". [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

14:05 "If necessary, Armenia will ask Russia for new supplies of Russian weapons, but there is no talk about that yet" said the RA Ambassador to Russia in an interview with RIA Novosti, he also stressed that Turkey has transferred mercenaries from Syria to Azerbaijan.

13:40 "We demand to call things by their names ․ To clearly record the aggression carried out by authoritarian Azerbaijan against the democratic Artsakh Republic, to draw a line between humanity and hatred. The RA National Assembly demands from the international community to clearly register the aggression carried out by authoritarian Azerbaijan against democratic Artsakh.

Turkey's support in preparing for this aggression is characterized by Turkey's direct presence on the stage of hostilities. Turkish military specialists are fighting side by side with Azerbaijan, using Turkish-made weapons. In fact, a situation has been created when the people of Artsakh are fighting against the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance. This genocidal Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance is a serious threat to the peoples of the region". [RA MFA]

13:10 "I am deeply concerned about the situation in Artsakh. I call on the national deputies of Ukraine, the representatives of the ministries and departments to unite in order to go to the events zone and help the friendly Armenian people on the spot". [Member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Armenia Artem Dmitruk]

12:48 The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will be able to resolve their differences through dialogue, calling for calm and restraint, Reuters reports.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that maintaining peace and stability in the region is in the interests of all parties.

12։27 US Senator Bob Menendez about the Azerbaijani attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh “I strongly condemn Azerbaijan’s attack on Nagorno Karabakh, yet another act of aggression supported by Turkey. The Trump Administration should suspend security assistance to Azerbaijan and engage through the OSCE Minsk Group to bring about a ceasefire”, the Senator said on Twitter.

12։09 Yerevan is not going to apply to the CSTO in connection with the aggravation of the situation in Nagorno Karabakh. Such plans are not on the agenda of our government. [RA Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toghanyan] | ria.ru |

12:01 There is no mass evacuation in Artsakh. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11:45 At the moment we have about 200 wounded, some of them have been transferred to Yerevan, all of them are under proper medical supervision in various military hospitals, as well as in civilian hospitals. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

11:39 The Secretary-General of the International Organisation of la Francophonie (OIF) Louise Mushikiwabo went on Twitter to express her support to Armenia on the escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "I extend my full support to Armenia, a member state of Organisation of la Francophonie, and express my deep concern over the resumption of clashes in Nagorno Karabakh that have caused numerous losses among the civilian population and the military. I call for an immediate end to hostilities and a resumption of dialogue to reach a negotiated settlement."

11:29 "People on both sides of the conflict will die, people on both sides of the conflict will suffer because some very powerful and very wealthy men made a certain decision yesterday. The decision to start a full-scale attack was made by two men: Ilham Aliev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The order to start an all-out offensive was given personally by Aliev, and he was encouraged to do so by Erdogan. In order to preserve their power and wealth these two made a decision that may cost hundreds or even thousands of lives."
Mikayel Zolyan, Armenian MP

11:01 Statement by the Speaker of the Cypriot Parliament Dimitris Silouris. "We are concerned about the developments taking place on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with new clashes. We support the Armenian people, we hope that the conflict will be settled exclusively through peaceful negotiations. "

10։02 Turkey was the only country in the world that supported the war within the framework of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. At a time when all countries and international organizations are calling for peace, the parliament and the media continue to call for war. War is a disaster. Let's end the war. [Karo Paylyan, an Armenian member of the Turkish parliament]

09:51 "Intense fighting continued overnight in the southern, south-eastern and northern directions of the front line.
As a result of the counterattack undertaken by the units of the Defense Army, the opponent suffered heavy losses of manpower and military equipment. The Defense Army restored a number of previously lost positions.
In the result of the recovery by the Defense Army units of a number of previously lost positions, several dozens of enemy bodies are on the Armenian side" - RA MoD press secretary Shushan Stepanyan

09։40 Vice President Joe Biden
"I am deeply concerned by the outbreak of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and call for urgent de-escalation, restoring the ceasefire, and a resumption of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The United States should be pushing for more observers along the ceasefire line and calling for Russia to stop cynically providing arms to both sides, while reviewing our own security assistance programs to ensure no military capabilities are being repurposed for offensive means.

The Trump administration also needs to step up its diplomatic efforts, together with fellow OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs France and Russia, to seek a peaceful resolution and to support confidence-building measures. The eruption of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh runs the risk of escalating into a larger regional conflict, which is why third parties in the region must stay out of this conflict and the Minsk Group mediators must immediately seek de-escalation and a return to negotiations" 

09:17 In this war we are all soldiers, we each have a big role, the time has come when each of us must defend our nation and land to the best of his ability. Our armed forces are strong, they defend our homeland, our people in heavy battles. We, too, uniting around the defense of the homeland, must bring the inevitable moment of victory closer. [Chief Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan]

09:05 President of Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan:

"During the night, the Defense Army carried out several brilliant military operations, restoring lost positions in various parts of the defense line or making some progress.
I am proud and thankful to our army and command for the high fighting spirit and readiness.
I am proud and thankful to our people for the common sense shown during this period, everything for the sake of the Homeland and the Front, for the devotion.
I am proud and thankful to our compatriots and the authorities of the Republic of Armenia for their unconditional support.
I am proud and thankful for the thousands of calls and words from our compatriots around the world.
I express my condolences to the relatives of all our boys who lost their lives during this time. Thank you.

Dear compatriots!

I once again address you all with unconditional faith and a sense of victory. It is impossible to defeat a nation that in hours turns into a strong and united army.

The victory will be ours. "

09:15 “The population of Nagorno- Karabakh, the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh have been and remain absolutely determined to defend their land and defend their freedom. The Armenian people, the Armenian Armed Forces, the Armenian state have been and remain as the guarantor of the security of Nagorno-Karabakh. We are absolutely confident and absolutely determined to repel this aggression and to stand very firm for the freedom of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.” the RA Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said during his online interview to FRANCE 24.

08:47 The names of another 15 Armenian soldiers who were killed as a result of the hostile attack of Azerbaijani military forces have been revealed.

08:34 The press secretary of RA MoD Shushan Stepanyan informed that Early in the morning of September 28, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia David Tonoyan held an operative meeting with the higher management of the Defense Ministry, the Armed Forces, and General Staff. Mr. Tonoyan gave the corresponding instructions on restraining the enemy's disruptive attack, and providing the necessary support to the defense army.

08:15 "This is the phenomenon of the invincibility of our people," writes the Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan

08:00 The fighting continued at night, our armed forces have significant success. However, it is not calm yet, the fighting continues, in some places, there are artillery battles. The losses of our troops reported by the Azerbaijani side do not correspond to reality. [Artsrun Hovhannisyan]

04:18 Within the last hours, many people approached the Ministry of Social Affairs to voluntarily provide shelter to the people of Artsakh. In this regard, the Minister of Social Affairs Zaruhi Batoyan thanked everyone via her Facebook page and informed that there is no need yet, as the state has all the necessary resources to provide help to those affected by the conflict which escalated again yesterday.

03:57 The US State Department has issued an official statement on the escalation of the situation in Artsakh. It is noted that Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Bigan had telephone conversations with the Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan. He called on both sides to immediately end the hostilities and continue working with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
''We are attentively monitoring. It just happened, I am informed about that. We have good relations in that region. We will see if we can stop it'', US President Donald Trump said on his turn during the Sunday briefing.

02:45 The speaker of the RA Foreign Affairs Ministry, Anna Naghdalyan informs that the Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan had telephone conversations with US Deputy Secretary of State Steven Bigan, Canadian Foreign Minister François Philip Champagne, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias regarding the situation resulted from Azerbaijan's military aggression against Artsakh.

01:20 The RA Ministry of Health informs that the admission of patients to medical organizations for planned hospital care is terminated. Only resuscitation measures or admission of patients in need of urgent medical care will be provided.

00։11 Today a pregnant woman was seriously injured during the shelling of civilian settlements by the Azerbaijani armed forces. Fortunately, thanks to the professional actions of our doctors, both the child and the mother were saved. [Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh Artak Beglaryan]

00։04 There is a problem with mobile communication in Artsakh at the moment․ Prepaid system, postpaid mobile internet and SMS do not work. The reason is the targeted actions of Azerbaijan. The specialists of "Karabakh Telecom" are working to solve the problem [digital expert Samvel Martirosyan]

 

September 27 / Day 1

 

23:32 Member of the European Parliament Tonino Picula from Croatia in his Twitter microblog called on Azerbaijan to return to the negotiation process on the three basic principles of the settlement agreed with the OSCE: territorial integrity, self-determination and especially the exclusion of the use of force. "I also call on all international actors, including the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, to work with both sides," he said.

23:05 We must be ready for all scenarios - short-term, mid-term, long-term. The fact that the war is large-scale, that Azerbaijan has used all its troops and military equipment is a vivid proof of that. [Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan]

23։00 "As a result of the counterattack of the Defense Army subdivisions, 11 units of armored vehicles with their combat equipment were confiscated, including HMM-3" - RA MoD press secretary Shushan Stepanyan

23:00 Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunan told journalists that Turkish F-16 jets and UAVs, stationed in Azerbaijan ostensibly for joint drills, were used in today’s operation against Artsakh. He noted that the international community’s response to this spillover of the conflict was inadequate. He also said that the Azerbaijani army failed in its mission to cripple supply lines and compromise the Artsakh army’s capacity to fulfill its task. He added that some front positions in the northeast and south were lost, however major attack in the north was pushed back.

21:28 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with French President Emanuel Macron, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister of Armenia stated that today Azerbaijan has launched military operations along the entire line of contact with Artsakh. He expressed deep concern over the current situation and its further aggravation. In particular, it was stressed that Azerbaijan is resorting to provocations to launch military operations in the direction of the state border with the Republic of Armenia. Pashinyan drew the interlocutor's attention to Turkey's "very biased, aggressive position and the need to stop possible intervention by that country."

President Macron expressed deep concern over the current situation and said that further escalation of tensions was unacceptable. He considered it necessary to take all measures to stop the hostilities and defuse the tension. He stressed the need to intensify the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to restore peace in the region.

21:17 The statement by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan that the Azerbaijani army allegedly took control of the Vardenis-Martakert highway does not correspond to reality - Shushan Stepanyan, Press secretary of the Minister of Defence of Armenia

21։00 Artsrun Hovhannisyan, Spokesperson for the Armenian Defense Ministry has said that about 200 soldiers were killed on the Azerbaijani side, while the losses on the Armenian side were 16 and around 100 others were wounded. 10 wounded were transferred to Armenia, he added. He also noted that no authentic footage of hitting Armenian military vehicles or any visual proof of controlling fresh territories was published by Azerbaijani authorities. Contrary to this, he said, the Armenian side had published such materials

20:55 "War has been declared against us, a large-scale and cruel war, where the enemy does not want to defeat us, the enemy wants to destroy us. The Republic of Azerbaijan, despite numerous assurances on various international platforms, does not want to include the Armenians of Artsakh in the Republic of Azerbaijan and grant them citizenship with the rights and responsibilities arising from it. Azerbaijan wants Artsakh without the Armenians of Artsakh. The freedom of Artsakh and especially the physical security are not bargained and will not be bargained" - President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan

20:50 Armenia called the ECHR to apply an interim measure against Azerbaijan:

• Request Azerbaijan to stop the bombing of civilian objects along the entire line of contact between the Republic of Armenia and the Artsakh Republic;
• Force Azerbaijan to refrain from non-selective offensive operations;
• Force Azerbaijan to refrain from targeting citizens, civilian objects and settlements 

[Representative of the Republic of Armenia in the ECHR]

19։40 Armenian media outlets are under heavy cyberattack by Azerbaijani hackers, posting the image of Ilham Aliyev with "Artsakh is Azerbaijan" writing. Among the hacked media websites are Armenpress.am, News.am, Blognews.am, Mamul.am, Mediamax.am, a1plus.am, armtimes.com and Hetq.am

19:10 According to the Kremlin press service, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders discussed the issue of the military clashes on the Nagorno Karabakh line of contact, which started early this morning.

"The Russian side has expressed deep concern over the resumption of large-scale hostilities. It was noted that all necessary measures should be taken immediately to prevent further escalation of the conflict. "The most important thing is to stop the hostilities," the statement said.

18։50 Azerbaijan’s parliament has voted for a decision to announce martial law in the country and a curfew in several regions close to the combat area. 

18։33 "We need to remind the history of the Artsakh problem, as it its whole essence is being forgotten. It is represented as a territorial dispute and that deals an enormous damage to our positions. We need to explain that this is a fight for the people’s right to existence and it is about the Armenians of Artsakh" – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan

18։24 Deputy Defense Minister of Artsakh Arthur Sargsyan indicates that the Armenian side destroyed 3 helicopters, 20 UAVs, 30 tanks and rear-end combat vehicles.

18։20 According to Deputy Defense Minister of Artsakh Republic Arthur Sargsyan, the Artsakh army has 16 casualties and more than a hundred wounded.

17։50 NATO is deeply concerned by reports of large scale military hostilities along the line of contact in the Nagorno-Karabach conflict zone. The sides should immediately cease hostilities, which have already caused civilian casualties. There is no military solution to this conflict. The parties should resume negotiations towards a peaceful resolution. NATO supports the efforts of the OSCE  Minsk Group.Statement by James Appathurai, the Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia

16։40 The "All-Armenian Fund" started a fundraising for Artsakh. The Statement:
"We Are Our Borders; All for Artsakh Dear friends and compatriots,
Earlier today a joint decision has been made to launch the “We Are Our Borders; All for Artsakh” global fundraising campaign to support our heroic brothers and sisters standing strong in Artsakh.
Donations can be made through the Fund’s website at www.himnadram.org or transferred to the dedicated Central Bank accounts, details of which can be found on our website.
We call on all Armenians around the world to support this crucial initiative"

16:32 The statement of Secretary-General of the 47-nation Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović-Burić regarding the situation in Artsakh.
“I am gravely concerned about reports of military escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I call on our Member States Armenia and Azerbaijan to show responsibility and restraint by immediately stopping hostilities. When entering the Council of Europe, both countries committed themselves to solving the conflict by peaceful means, and this commitment is to be strictly respected. In these difficult times, my thoughts go to the civilians – including children, women, and the elderly –who once again feel more vulnerable than ever, as well as to all those suffering from the conflict. On behalf of the Council of Europe, I call on the authorities of our two Member States to do everything possible to protect human lives and not to engage in military conflict. No efforts should be spared to stop the escalation. In this respect, we reiterate our support for the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs in their work to help our Member States find a peaceful solution to this conflict.”

​16:20 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a statement said the recent conflagration in Artsakh-Azerbaijan frontline could have regional and international fallouts. He pointed to Turkey as a warmonger. “Turkey’s dangerous stance in fraught with most destructive consequences” Pashinyan said, urging to exert pressure on Ankara.

In the meantime the Armenian leader expressed confidence on the combat-readiness of the Armenian armed forces, stating that the announced mobilization had the aim of averting a possible spillover of the active hostilities to the zone of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border.

15:46 "The statement issued by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan that the Azerbaijani army allegedly occupied 6 settlements does not consistent with the reality. It is yet another information provocation of the Azerbaijani propaganda machine" - Shushan Stepanyan, Press secretary of the Minister of Defence of Armenia

15։45 According to Artsakh President's press-secretary Vahram Poghosyan, the two victims of the Azerbaijani shelling in Martuni are an elderly woman and her 9-year-old granddaughter.

15։40 EU calls for an immediate cease-fire in the Karabakh conflict zone. The High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell issued a statement saying, “On 27 September 2020, fighting erupted along the Line of Contact in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, regrettably causing military and civilian casualties. The European Union calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, de-escalation, and for strict observance of the ceasefire. The return to negotiations of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, without preconditions, is needed urgently."

15:30  The Pope called for peace in the South Caucasus and an end to hostilities. Today, during the traditional Sunday prayer, addressing the believers gathered in St. Peter's Square, the leader of the Catholic Church said: "Concerning information is received from the Caucasus. I pray for peace in that region, I appeal to the conflicting parties, calling on them to take clear steps to settle the disputes without force. "

15։10 The Office of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Artsakh launched a fact-finding mission following a wholescale attack by the Azerbaijani armed forces on 27 September.
According to the updated information, all large and a number of small settlements (including Stepanakert, Askeran, Martakert, Martuni, Hadrut, Shushi towns) were shelled with the use of artillery and striking UAVs.
Initially, 2 casualties and tens of wounded are confirmed. In Stepanakert alone, more than 10 people were injured, including children and women. Human Rights Defender’s representatives visited a group of recovering wounded in the Stepanakert Republican Medical Center.
Among numerous damage to infrastructure, some schools were also damaged.
Analysis of the collected data shows that the Azerbaijani armed forces are targeting the civilian population, which is a rough violation of international humanitarian law. The Ombudsman calls on the international community to assess the actions of Azerbaijan, especially in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, to take measures to neutralize threats to the life and safety of thousands of people of the Republic of Artsakh.The Office of the Human Rights Defender continues fact-finding mission, and after clarifying the data, will make additional publications.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/ArtsakhOmbuds/posts/1671367773030378

15:01 Artsakh Defense Army reported that Azerbaijani forces lost 4 helicopters, 15 UAVs - including assault drones – downed. The report also says forces of the enemy had sustained “enormous losses in manpower and armored fighting vehicles”, including 10 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. The Defense Army units are holding off the enemy assault, the report added.

14։55 The Ministry of Health of Republic of Armenia calls upon the citizens to donate blood for the replenishment of the existing supply. The Ministry urges to apply ONLY to "Prof. R. Yolyan Hematology Center ”CJSC or regional blood bank structures. Additionally, blood type and rhesus factors do not matter.

14։45 Razm.info portal said the videos materials available revealed that two T-72 tanks, another unspecified tank (could be T-72 or T-90) were hit through missiles or mine detonations. Another engineer vehicle IMR-3 was struck, the portal says, adding that Azerbaijan had confirmed the loss of one helicopter.   

14։40 According to Vahram Poghosyan, the press secretary of the Artsakh's President, the Armenian and Artsakh Defense Ministries refute Samvel Babayan's earlier claims about 10 victims․ (source: Sputnik Armenia)

14:28 "All the diplomatic representations of the Republic of Armenia work on an emergency regime.Our international partners both at multilateral and bilateral levels are well-informed about the situation resulting from the Azerbaijani aggression, the actions and assessments of the Armenian sides. Foreign Minister is in constant contact and holds phone conversations with his counterparts, including Foreign Minister of Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of Georgia David Zalkaliani" - Anna Naghdalyan, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia

14։22 Armenian President Armen Sargsyan called on for consolidation in the face of the aggression by Azerbaijan. “Consolidation, national unity and solidarity today are more essential than ever,” the statement said

14։21 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has held a phone conversation with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, expressing his “deep concern over the ongoing large-scale hostilities along the contact line”, the Russia Foreign Ministry reported.

Lavrov also held another phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mehmet Cavusoglu on the escalation of the situation in Artsakh-Azerbaijan frontline, the Russian TASS agency reported referring to Turkish official sources. 

14:12 The Co-Chairs call on the sides to take all necessary measures to stabilize the situation on the ground and reiterate that there is no alternative to a peaceful negotiated solution of the conflict.
Full Statement: https://www.osce.org/minsk-group/465018?fbclid=IwAR39AMYnfDi-CQqtki0KVYhNSqD26pStTXPNouhHqXuGEKQr8y6HOtjsQdY

14:09 The Collective Security Treaty Organization has issued a statement on the hostilities in the line of contact between the Artsakh and Azerbaijani armed forces, calling on the parties to return to the ceasefire regime.
CSTO Spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov told TASS Russian news agency, "Currently, no application has been received from Armenia to the CSTO Secretariat. We have always been in favor of a peaceful settlement of the conflict. The internationally recognized mechanism for the settlement of the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh is the OSCE Minsk Group”.

14:05 France calls on Yerevan and Baku to cease hostilities and start a dialogue immediately.

"France is extremely concerned about the escalation of the conflict," said the Foreign Ministry of the Minsk Group co-chairing country.

13:59 The State Conscription Service of Azerbaijan has issued a statement stating that a gathering of reservists is possible, but there is no need for that at the moment. In fact, a week ago reservists began to gather in Azerbaijan. The Azeris claimed that these were just planned rallies for military training. [source: Razminfo]

13:55 The Armenian military chief of staff Lt Gen Onik Gasparyan in an address to the armed forces has said “the independence and freedom gained at the cost of the lives and blood of thousands of best sons of Armenia are at stake”.  In his statement he aid that the war hostilities were unleashed through Turkey’s backing.

“Our cause is a just one.  We defend the sacred land of our forefathers, the Armenian homeland, our dignity and the right of our people to live in a free land. We will win!” concludes the statement.

[refuted] 13։25 Samvel Babayan, the Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh indicated that the Armenian side has lost 4-5 positions, but there is an opportunity to retake them. [Source: Karabakh Records twitter page]

13։22 Azerbaijan also targeted Vardenis town in Armenia.

13։20 Artsrun Hovhannisyan, a representative of the Armenian Defense Minster at a briefing said that due to the escalation there are losses and destructions, air and missile strikes were delivered at Defense Army positions. He refused to elaborate. Hovhannisyan also said Vardenis sector of the state border was also attacked by the Azerbaijani army. The DM representative said with the exception of two particularly lethal weapons, virtually every kind of weapons, including air force were used by Azerbaijan. He added everything was planned long before by Baku and said that Azerbaijani had a long propaganda and media preparation of this attack.

[refuted] 13:09 10 Armenian soldiers died as a result of Azerbaijan's attack against Artsakh — Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh Samvel Babayan. [Source: Karabakh Records twitter page]

12։58 The Minister of MoD of Armenia David Tonoyan addresses the nation indicating that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, being the guarantor of Artsakh's security are ready to provide any assistance to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh.

“It is already obvious that the Azerbaijani authorities have once again overestimated their capabilities, ignoring their lessons learned from the previous inglorious defeats, for which, I am sure, they will be severely punished,” says Mr. Tonoyan.
He continues telling that the response from the Armenian side will be tougher than ever and that we have all the necessary means to once again defeat the enemy who is encroaching on our Homeland.
“Unity has built all the victories of our history. I am sure that at this crucial moment we will jointly and honorably carry out our military mission altogether and with honor, teaching the enemy, who understands the language of power.

12։55 Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh։ http://www.nkr.am/en/news/2020-09-27/MFA-statement

12։50  "The attacks carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces along the line of contact between the Artsakh and Azerbaijani armed forces are successfully repulsed by the Defense Army units. The enemy has losses" - Shushan Stepanyan, Press secretary of the Minister of Defence of Armenia 

12։44 Martial law and general mobilization are declared in Armenia
Prime Minster Nikol Pashinyan has said martial law and general mobilization is declared in Armenia, which enters into force since its announcement. He also called on reservists to visit their local conscription offices. 

12:30 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in a televised address has admitted to human and equipment losses. Meanwhile Razm.info portal said that fake screenshots were circulated by Azerbaijani users of social media, calling on to be alert and not to trust such misinformation

12։20 Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy stated that "Armenia has once again shown that it is the only obstacle to regional peace and stability." He accused Armenia of "violating international law and carrying out attacks on civilian casualties."

"Of course, Azerbaijan will use its legal right to protect its own people, its territorial integrity. Turkey fully supports Azerbaijan in this process. We will stand by Azerbaijan as it wants. "We call on the international community to support the Azerbaijani people," Aksoy said.

12:01 Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry statement regarding the escalation of the situation in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"According to available information, the situation in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has sharply escalated. Intense shellings are going on along the contact line from both sides. There were reports of casualties. We call for an immediate ceasefire and start negotiations in order to stabilize the situation".

12։00 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced of convening Security Council session which will discuss the current military crisis and the issue of a general mobilization in Armenia. “We are ready for the defense of our sacred homeland!” Pashinyan wrote in his Facebook account.

In a separate post he shared Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan’s statement, adding: “Nothing, no circumstance can stop us in our defense of the Artsakh people’s rights and their freedom”.

11։51 The Defense Army of Artsakh announced of downing 14 Azerbaijani UAVs, apart from 2 helicopters and several armored fighting vehicles, saying that the information was verified. “The front units of the Defense Army are successfully holding off the enemy,” the statement added. 

11։45 Today, on September 27, as a result of Azerbaijani shelling in the city of Martuni, a child died in the yard of their house. Spokesman for the Artsakh President Vahram Poghosyan told this to NEWS.am.

Vahram Poghosyan also informed that there are dozens of wounded among the civilian population, including children. They received various degrees of bodily injuries.

 

11:40 

11:35 Martial law and general mobilization for the citizens over 18 years of age have been declared in Artsakh, announced President Arayik Harutyunyan writing in Facebook account. He also said that an emergency session of the parliament was convened.

“We did not want war, but it was forced upon us and we must defend our homeland and families,” Harutyunyan’s statement said, adding: “Azerbaijan’s president Aliyev is to be held personally accountable for the situation fraught with a humanitarian catastrophe”.  

 

11։28 President of #Artsakh: "No one should be despaired over any loss, over any victim, over any wounded. They declared a war? They will get a war!"

11:04 

11:02 Armenian Defense Ministry’s spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan has said the assaulting Azerbaijani army lost three tanks. “The attacks by the Azerbaijani troops in several directions have been repelled. The enemy has suffered casualties and material loss, including three tanks,” wrote the spokesperson in her Facebook account. In a separate statement earlier Stepanyan wrote that the Armenian forces in Artsakh had shot down two helicopters and three UAVs, adding that the military and political leaders of Azerbaijan are responsible for the conflagration. In a third post on Facebook, the Armenian Defense Ministry spokesperson informed that the Armenian Armed forces had downed another Azerbaijani UAV in the northeastern border with Azerbaijan.

10:58 Leader of the opposition Bright Armenia party Edmon Marukyan in a post in his Facebook account called on consolidation in the face of the unprecedented escalation in Artsakh. “Dear compatriots! The enemy has attacked our homeland. Since this morning we have put aside all internal discords” he wrote, adding that the aim is to “break the enemy’s back in all directions, from the military to the diplomatic.”

10:55 In recent hours, there have been numerous cases when individuals, groups (up to 10,000 people) apply to military commissariats throughout the country with a request to enlist in the army and travel to the Artsakh-Azerbaijani contact line. The RA Ministry of Defense, highly appreciating the readiness of our compatriots, informs that at this moment there is no need for volunteering, and in case of need, the RA Ministry of Defense will make a separate, special statement.

10։41 There are casualties among the civilian population of Artsakh as a result of the Azerbaijani shelling.

Two people were killed in Martuni region, one woman and one child, there are two wounded. Data for other settlements are being verified. Schools were also shelled, including in Stepanakert. There is large-scale damage to civilian infrastructure in many settlements - reports Artak Beglaryan, from Stepanakert

 

10։33 

10։30 

10։22 Azerbaijan has blocked almost all social media platforms. Facebook, Youtube, Whatsapp, TikTok. Only Twitter functions normally as it is used for the external propaganda. This is for the knowledge of our news agencies, to have an idea which platform is important for the international audience. [Samvel Martirosyan, digital security expert]

10։10 According to the commander of the Defense Army, Major General Jalal Harutyunyan, at 7:10 a.m. the Azerbaijani army attacked at the entire length of the contact line. The attacks of the Azerbaijani army in several directions were repulsed. The opponent suffered human losses, as well as lost technical equipment, in particular, three tanks. The fights continue [Shushan Stepanyan, Press secretary of the Minister of Defence of Armenia]

10։08 Azerbaijani Defence Ministry officially announced about the launch of counterattack, which proves that today's attack was planned long ago. Any serviceman with basic knowledge will confirm that planning a counterattack is a matter of weeks. Minutes after the official announcement about the escalation, the news agencies of Azerbaijan and Turkey publish materials from the frontline, which is another proof that the provocation initiated by Azerbaijan was planned in advance.

10։05 The situation is completely under the control of the President of the Republic. We call to the population to keep calm, stay in hiding. Fighting continues along the entire line of contact. The Defense Army stopped the enemy's actions with strong blows. [Spokesman for the President of Artsakh Republic Vahram Poghosyan]

10:04 Artsakh has civilian casualties due to Azerbaijan's attack on civilian settlements. [Ombudsman of Artsakh Republic]

10:02 "Aliev's regime has started an offensive on the line of contact. This is not just about Armenians. Aliev needs a military success to secure his own power. If he achieves even a modest success or something he can present as such to his own society, he will consolidate his power over Azerbaijan and save his crumbling regime. If not, Alievs' hereditary dictatorship will be over quite soon" Mikael Zolyan, National Assembly Deputy

9։40 The commander of the Artsakh Defence Army Maj Gen Jalal Harutyunyan has made a statement, stating that the Azerbaijani army launched an assault along the whole frontline in Artsakh in the early hours of 27 September.
Speaking of the military objectives of the general assault, Maj Gen Harutyunyan said that they could be boiled down to “ethnically cleanse Artsakh and Armenia” of Armenians.
“Our victory has no alternative; we defend the graves of our ancestors and the future of our children. We defend our right to live of the land of our ancestors,”
the statement reads.
He also suggested that the “victory would not be an easy one” and called on for a general consolidation of the society. “Our aim is a united one – to destroy the enemy through all means available, to inflict crushing blows upon its armed bands, to disrupt its military infrastructure and if needed to expand the safety zone on enforce a final peace,” reads the statement.

9:15  "Early this morning, the Azerbaijani side launched missile attacks along the entire line of contact targeting also the peaceful settlements, including the capital Stepanakert.
We strongly condemn the aggression of the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh. The Armenian sides will act confidently with all their capacities to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh and to deliver appropriate military and political responses. The military political leadership of Azerbaijan bears full responsibility for the consequences of their aggression" - Anna Naghdalyan, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia

8:39  RA Minister of Defense David Tonoyan had a telephone conversation with Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman Andrzej Kasprzyk. The Minister presented the situation on the border and said that Azerbaijan had unleashed another provocation.

8:14 "The enemy launched an air and missile attack in the direction of Artsakh. The entire responsibility lies with the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan. The Armenian side hit two enemy helicopters and three UAV unmanned aerial vehicles. The battles continue" - Shushan Stepanyan, Press secretary of the Minister of Defence of Armenia

8:12 Early in the morning of 27 September Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his Facebook informed that enemy troops staged offensive operations against Artsakh Republic. He wrote that the troops were successfully defending the frontline.“Let us all standing behind our state, our army in defense of our holy homeland. And we will win!”
He also called on to trust official news and stay away from “inimical information flows” adding that additional news will be provided as the developments are unfolding.

8։00 At around 6.00 this morning, Azerbaijan launched a large scale air and missile attack on Artsakh, targetting not oiny military but also civil areas, including Stepanakert 

22։30 Summary of the border situation as of 22:00 by Artsrun Hovhannisyan:

• The enemy was pushed back along the entire perimeter, in some places the Defense Army was able to take more advantageous positions.
• In the direction of Martuni, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces were able to advance one or two positions, closer to the city of Chartar.
• Baku is not going to take the bodies of its servicemen, today in one of the villages near Hadrut the enemy fled during the fighting, leaving 15 bodies of dead soldiers.
• Azerbaijani saboteurs tried to break through the front line, their attempts were unsuccessful.
• The technical advantage of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces is far from being as obvious as it was in the first half-month of the war.
• The enemy is numerically and technically superior to us, but their losses are disproportionately greater than ours.

19։45 The Turks vandalized the building of the Consulate of the Republic of Armenia in Lyon, according to France 24 journalist Achren Verdian. In an anti-Armenian note on the wall, they mentioned the Armenian Genocide, as well as the Gray Wolves' allegiance to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. [armenpress.am]