Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on measures to maintain peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to which up to 1,960 Russian peacekeepers will be sent to the region, with the contingent rotating at least twice a year. The document was published on Thursday on the official legal information portal.
The decree was signed in accordance with Federation Council Resolution No. 355 on the use of the Armed Forces (AF) of the Russian Federation outside the country and for the purpose of maintaining the ceasefire and peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, based on a joint statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on November 9.
According to the decree, "a military formation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation of up to 1,960 servicemen <...> will be sent to Nagorno Karabakh for a period of five years with automatic prolongation of its stay for the subsequent five-year periods", unless, six months before the expiration of the relevant five-year period, Azerbaijan and Armenia declare their intention to terminate the agreements reached. A peacekeeping contingent will be deployed in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, along the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor.
At the same time, the President instructed the Defense Ministry to rotate the peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh at least twice a year and to replace military equipment as resources and technical needs develop. The FSB has been tasked to monitor Armenia's transport links between the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for the unhindered movement of citizens, vehicles and cargo in both directions.
Putin also instructed the government to provide funding for expenses related to the peacekeepers' activities, providing material support to the servicemen and paying them salaries, including additional guarantees and compensations, including to their family members.
Ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh
On November 9, President Putin, Aliyev and Pashinyan signed a joint statement on the complete cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Russian leader said, in particular, that the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides would remain in their positions, while Russian peacekeepers would be deployed in the region. In addition, Baku and Yerevan should exchange prisoners and bodies.
The press service of the Azerbaijani president reported on November 10 that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Turkey Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the situation around the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the creation of a "Turkish-Russian peacekeeping center" in the region.
On November 11 Russia and Turkey agreed on the creation of the center for control of the ceasefire in Karabakh, the memorandum was signed as a result of negotiations on video communication of Russian Defense Minister General Sergey Shoigu and head of Turkish military department Hulusi Akar.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS