Karabakh army always prepared for the worst: official

PanARMENIAN.Net - The situation is stable on the contact line, with slight violations of the ceasefire agreement by the Azeri side reported, the Nagorno Karabakh President’s spokesman said, Tert.am reports.

According to Davit Babayan, the military-political balance is maintained, nothing has changed on the contact line.

Commenting on the OSCE Minsk Group’s meeting in Vienna, the spokesman said: “We are generally satisfied with the outcome. Although there were no targeted public assessments, I am sure the Group will issue nonpublic tough warnings to Azerbaijan.”

Asked about the unexpectedness and the unpredictability of the rival’s attacks, Babayan said Karabakh troops are ready every single moment.

“The army is always prepared for the worst,” he said.

According to him, Azerbaijan sought to destroy the Armenian forces in a short time and seize the whole Karabakh. But Baku’s blitzkrieg failed, he said.

The parties to the Karabakh conflict agreed on a bilateral ceasefire along the contact line which came into force at midday, April 5.

Prior to that, on the night of April 1-2, Azerbaijani armed forces initiated overt offensive operations in the southern, southeastern and northeastern directions of the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh.

As many as 29 Karabakh servicemen were killed and 101 were wounded in the course of military operations. 28 Karabakh soldiers have gone missing so far.

As of April 5, the Azerbaijani side has lost 26 tanks and 4 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as 1 BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, 2 military helicopters and 11 unmanned aerial vehicles.

14 Karabakh tanks have been neutralized since April 2.