The situation in Yerevan in connection with the protests sparked by Azerbaijan’s military aggression in Nagorno Karabakh remains tense, but there is no aggression toward Russians on the part of the protestors. The press secretary of the Russian Embassy in Armenia Alexander Guchkov stated on air of “Solovyov Live” TV channel.
“The situation remains quite tense, but to be fair, it should be noted that some overt, expressed aggression has not yet been on the part of the protestors,” he said, noting that the situation remains “within the legal framework.”
Guchkov said that Armenia remains a friendly country for Russia. “The peoples of Russia and Armenia are linked by centuries-old history, a dense network of various ties of contacts, and I do not think that they can be broken so easily in one evening,’’ the diplomat added.
Armenian citizens are holding a protest in front of the Russian Embassy in Yerevan over Azerbaijan’s aggression in Nagorno Karabakh and demand that Russia stop Azerbaijan’s genocidal actions against the peaceful population of Artsakh. The protesters unfurled a large Artsakh flag in front of the embassy and closed all entrances to the building. The Russian diplomatic mission in Yerevan has sent a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia to take measures to “restore the normal functioning of the Embassy in accordance with the obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”
It comes after Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces unleashed military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh, using artillery and other heavy weapons as of 1 p.m. on September 19. They attempted to penetrate into the depth of the defense line of the Defense Forces of Nagorno Karabakh.
Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, has come under heavy shelling now. The Human Rights Defender of Nagorno Karabakh, Gegham Stepanyan, reported that there are multiple casualties and injuries among civilians, including children.