Russia to continue selling weapons to Baku under deal: Deputy PM

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia will continue delivering weapons to Azerbaijan under existing contracts, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Friday, April 8, according to TASS.

"Everything is done in compliance with the contracts. Both countries (Armenia and Azerbaijan) are our strategic partners," Rogozin said in response to a question about Armenian President's comments on Russia's arms sale to Azerbaijan.

On Thursday, April 7 President Serzh Sargsyn stated that Azerbaijan employed Russian weapons at full capacity in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, targeting even the civilian population, killing elders and minors.

Hosting Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Yerevan, Sargsyan expressed Armenians' concern over Azerbaijan's use of Russian weapons, deeming Russia their closest ally and friend.

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 44 Karabakh servicemen were killed and 122 were wounded in the course of military operations.

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, 1 engineering vehicle, 2 military helicopters and 11 unmanned aerial vehicles. The Azerbaijani side has admitted the loss of 31 fighters, 1 helicopter and 1 unmanned drones, whereas the Armenian side's photo and video materials show dozens of killed Azerbaijani troops, 1 helicopter and 3 UAVs.

14 Karabakh tanks have been neutralized since April 2.

Read also: Overview of Karabakh escalation: Interactive map