“Putin’s New War”, Gunfights and Moving Tanks: What’s Going On

Opening a war front that seemed forgotten for Vladimir Putin. We are talking about Nagorno-Karabakh, the disputed region between Azerbaijan and Armenia, in the Caucasus. Russia plays a mediating role in the conflict between the two countries and accuses Baku of violating the ceasefire agreement that ended the 2020 war by allowing its forces to cross the contact line. “On March 25, 2023, a unit of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces crossed the contact line in the Shusha region, in violation” of the agreement reached in 2020, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Recently, it seemed that negotiations between the two sides had finally started to reach a solution to the stricken area, but new clashes in March suddenly increased tension. “The nightmare of a new Karabakh conflict” is now tangible, writes Il Giornale who devotes an analysis to the case. She said that the Azerbaijanis rejected Moscow’s accusations, and confirmed that “the Azerbaijani army units have taken appropriate control measures in order to prevent the use of unpaved roads north of the Lachin road for illegal activities, as well as a further escalation of the situation. Possible provocations due to Armenia’s transfer of weapons and ammunition to the territory of Azerbaijan “.

Baku’s accusation is that Armenia is stepping up “the transfer of military personnel, weapons, ammunition and anti-personnel mines, as well as other military equipment” in territories under Azerbaijani jurisdiction and where the Russian peacekeeping unit is temporarily deployed. It seems difficult to restore peace with Russia’s involvement in the war in Ukraine.