Armenia accuses Azerbaijani troops of attacking Russian border guard vehicles

Azerbaijan denies the accusations and accuses Yerevan of attacking its positions

The Armenian Defense Ministry on Wednesday accused Azerbaijani troops of attacking several Russian border guard vehicles on Armenian territory as part of the latest clashes between the parties.

"At 3:00 p.m., the situation on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan is very tense. The Azeri Armed Forces have carried out attacks on vehicles of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia, which were carrying out a humanitarian mission in the combat zone," Ministry spokesman Aram Torosyán said in a statement.

As he explained, since 1:00 p.m. the border line from Sotk to Goris -- from the east to the south -- has been hit by intense bombing and artillery fire.

Likewise, it has warned that there have been attacks against peaceful settlements on Armenian soil and has indicated that, for this, "drones have been used". However, he has assured that the Armenian forces are "taking measures to respond appropriately to the enemy."

However, the Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense has denied the information about the alleged bombing against vehicles of the Russian Armed Forces and has indicated in a statement that it is "false information that does not reflect reality."

"By disseminating such information, Armenia aims to give international nuances to the large-scale provocations committed on the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and to turn the Collective Security Treaty Organization into an instrument of its deplorable activity," he said.

In addition, the Azeri authorities have accused the Armenian troops of carrying out attacks against their positions on the border and have accused Yerevan of trying to thwart the peace process.

However, the government has announced that it is willing to hand over the bodies of nearly a hundred Armenian soldiers to Yerevan as proof of its "commitment to international humanitarian law and the values ​​of humanism."

In this regard, the Azerbaijan State Commission for the Affairs of Prisoners of War, Missing Citizens and Hostages has called on the Armenian authorities to end hostilities.

The balance of soldiers killed in the framework of the latest clashes already amounts to 105 dead among the Armenian ranks, as confirmed by the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinián. The Azeri government has placed the number of soldiers killed on the Azerbaijani side at around 50.