A lone Azerbaijani soldier stood on a rocky ledge in Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a disputed region, which, although not for long, was stable thanks to a truce signed thanks to Russia.. Far behind the soldier was the city of Stepanakert, located within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, but under the control of the Armenian administration. It is the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“You can photograph mountains, but not this,” a soldier told Politico as he lowered his Kalashnikov and pointed to a camouflaged observation post overlooking the valley..

The situation in the region is tense. On Wednesday, Azerbaijan announced the launch of a new offensive against the Armenian-backed administration in Stepanakert.. The operation was called " Blaming the Armenian forces for attacking first by killing an Azerbaijani soldier, the Azerbaijani armed forces took control of several strategically important heights.. At the same time, two Armenians were killed. Fighting broke out in an area that was supposed to protect Russian peacekeepers deployed after the establishment of a truce in the short but bloody 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Then both sides praised the agreements reached with the mediation of Russia as a guarantee of stability and security.. But at a time when Moscow staged an invasion of Ukraine, its obligations in the region were called into question..

The Kremlin withdrew its most experienced fighters from Nagorno-Karabakh, sending them to the war against Ukraine. Mountain observation posts now serve young conscripts who should be a buffer between the parties, preventing provocations. Politico writes that Russia's reputation in the region has been blown.

According to the so-called “ombudsman” from Stepanakert, Gegham Stepanyan, Russia does not punish Azerbaijanis for violating the ceasefire and only tries to “take advantage of the situation”. But the media in Azerbaijan say otherwise. According to them, Moscow really supports the Armenians in Stepanakert, even supplies them with weapons.. The EU recently tried to replace Russia by offering itself as a legitimate mediator in diplomatic peace efforts in Nagorno-Karabakh. But without a significant military presence, the alliance cannot guarantee compliance with the terms of the truce.. Unexpectedly, the spirit of war again hung over the region.

geostrategic point.

A new outbreak of fighting occurred in the Lachin corridor. Now this is the only way that connects Stepanakert with Armenia. Under the terms of the 2020 ceasefire, Armenia committed to building an alternative road in the area that would bypass the other two cities.. When the construction is completed, the Armenian forces should withdraw, and Azerbaijan should take control of the settlements in the corridor. But it seems that the parties interpret the agreements differently..

[see_also ids\u003d"

On Wednesday, Chairman of the Armenian Security Council Armen Grigoryad told reporters that the demands to close the Lachin corridor are " And that " On Thursday, an official of the Karabakh economic region, Araz Imanov, told Politico: “The problem is that the Armenian side must complete the alternative road.. If they want to avoid conflict, they must honor the agreements we have."

Hours after the launch of Operation Revenge, Armenia denied accusations that it was not complying with the terms of the truce, insisting that an alternative road was being built.. And the work will be completed in the spring. Stepanyan said that Azerbaijan was simply trying to drive the Armenians out of the existing corridor earlier, pointing out that the agreements give Armenia three years to build an alternative road..

" And the situation can get out of control at any moment,” the Ombudsman of Stepanakert said..

Imanov, in turn, objected that something threatened the truce: “If we really wanted to enter these territories, we would just go there.”.

"

But the new road isn't the only problem.. Azerbaijan calls the forces of the unrecognized " Baku claims truce terms require them to withdraw from the country or dissolve themselves. Speaking to Politico, Azeri Defense Ministry spokesman Anar Eyvazov said these " He added that the retaliatory operation "

Stepanakert insists that the terms of the 2020 truce do not limit his troops in any way, even if Baku considers them an extension of the Armenian army. Also, the local population fears that ethnic cleansing may begin if the troops retreat and the Azerbaijani army comes to replace them.. After the signing of a truce in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control of 7 regions that were under the control of Armenian forces after the first war in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1994. After that, thousands of Armenians were forced to relocate. Having regained control over the territories, Baku began to actively return home Azerbaijanis, who became refugees 30 years ago. Armenians in and around Stepanakert now fear a similar fate if Azerbaijan decides to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict once and for all.

Russia is losing control?

Moscow still has a visible presence, both physical and in conversation, both in Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, frustration with the Kremlin is growing. The Armenian side is angry that Russia is actually doing little to nothing to enforce the truce it helped negotiate.

[see_also ids\u003d"

“Over the past year and a half, we have seen that, despite the presence of Russian peacekeepers, Azerbaijan constantly violates the truce and uses brute force against civilians,” Stepanyan said..

In Azerbaijan, many still blame Moscow for the consequences of the 1994 ceasefire, which ended the first war in Nagorno-Karabakh and left the region under the control of Armenian forces.. As both sides question Russia's role, EU increasingly seeks to replace Moscow. In May, Brussels invited Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss ways to prevent future clashes.. After the conversation, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that the priority would be to " But the EU certainly doesn't have an army to keep the peace..