Russian military presence in Nagorno-Karabakh: Artsakh - DYK365

Russian military presence in Nagorno-Karabakh: Artsakh

Artsakh, a West Asian Armenian Apostolic Christian and ethnic Armenian-inhabited small hill state, now controls most part of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of the former Soviet Union. The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast was under Azerbaijan, part of the Soviet Union, and had a Soviet military presence. On the eve of the collapse of the Soviet Union, war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over control of the region, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia withdrew all its troops from the region. Since the end of the Armenian-Azerbaijani war in 1988-1994, Russia has offered to deploy Russian peacekeepers in the Arctic-controlled region to help resolve the ongoing Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, but both Armenia and Azerbaijan have refused.

Artsakh ceasefire agreement 2020

After the Armenian-Azerbaijani war of 2020, both Azerbaijan and Armenia supported the proposal to deploy Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh, and Russia sent 1,960 Russian troops to Artsakh as part of a ceasefire agreement signed on November 10, 2020.

Russia sent 1,960 Russian troops to Artsakh as part of a ceasefire agreement signed on November 10, 2020; Stock Photo

In addition, 90 armored personnel carriers, 380 automobiles and special military equipment and a number of helicopters were dispatched with the peacekeepers. According to the ceasefire agreement, Russian peacekeepers will stay in Artsakh for 5 years (ie until November 2025), and then with the consent of both sides, the period of stay of Russian troops there can be extended. Officially, the main responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers deployed in Artsakh is to ensure that no new war breaks out in the region between Azerbaijan and Artsakh and Armenia.

Also read Russian-Turkish Joint Monitoring Center in Azerbaijan

Russian Troops in Artsakh: Nagorno-Karabakha

According to some Turkish and Azerbaijani analysts, the bases that the Russians have built in Artsakh will have up to 300 troops in each and based on this, the number of Russian troops finally deployed in Artsakh could exceed 10,000. According to them, about 5,000 Russian troops are still stationed in Artsakh. Among them are Russian peacekeepers, Russian military engineers, military doctors, technicians and members of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation but while the latter are members of the Russian armed forces, Russia does not consider them military personnel.

Russian Troops in Artsakh: Nagorno-Karabakha; StockPhoto

Russian peacekeeper checkpoints in Artsakh

The Russian peacekeeping force is headquartered in Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh. Russian peacekeepers have set up at least 32 checkpoints along the Nagorno-Karabakh border (ie, the border between Azerbaijan and Artsakh) and the Lachin corridor (the corridor connecting Armenia and Artsakh passing through Azerbaijani territory).

Russian military presence in Azerbaijan

It should be noted that under international law, Artsakh-controlled territories are mainly Azerbaijani territories and no member state of the United Nations have recognized Artsakh as an independent state. In this context, many see the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh as an extension of the Russian military presence in Azerbaijan.