Russia calls on external players to use their capabilities to prevent the transfer of mercenaries from the Middle East to Nagorno-Karabakh, whose number is already approaching two thousand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"Of course, we are concerned about the internationalization of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and attracting militants from the Middle East. We have repeatedly called on external players to use their capabilities to stop the transfer of mercenaries, whose number in the conflict zone, according to available data, is already approaching two thousand. This topic, in particular, was touched upon by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin during his telephone conversation with President of Turkey (Tayyip) Erdogan on October 27, in regular contacts with leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia. We insistently continue to promote our position through various channels," Lavrov said in his interview to "Kommersant".
Earlier Head of the RF Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin reported that according to information available to the SVR, mercenaries from international terrorist organizations fighting in the Middle East are actively being drawn into the conflict zone in Karabakh, and the matter concerns hundreds or even thousands of radicals. The spokesperson for the Russian president Dmitry Peskov stated that the presence of the militants in the hot zone of conflict in Karabakh is a great danger and is a reason for deep concern of Moscow.
Ankara and Baku deny that militants from the Middle East are at war in Karabakh on the side of the armed forces of Azerbaijan.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Stanislav Krasilnikov / TASS
Based on materials from RIA Novosti