Stepanakert accuses Azerbaijan of using attack drones

YEREVAN. March 25 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani troops used attack drones against units of the Defense Army of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry press service said.

"On March 24, the Azerbaijani troops, violating the requirements of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, made an incursion into the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, taking control over the village of Parukh, Askeran district and the nearby positions, and also tried to advance eastward. In the early hours of March 25, the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fire on units of the Defense Army, using various small arms and attack drones," the report said.

The agency said the Russian peacekeepers' negotiations did not produce significant results, the enemy did not return to its initial positions.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry earlier said that Azerbaijani troops had breached the Nagorno-Karabakh contact line in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping mission and had occupied the village of Parukh, Askeran district of Nagorno-Karabakh on Thursday.

The situation in Karabakh was discussed on Thursday by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, as well as by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried.