Updated map of Russian peacekeeping force omits two Karabakh villages

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Russian Defense Ministry has published an updated map of the operation of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh, which now does not cover the villages of Khtsaberd and Hin Tagher in the region of Hadrut.

The Russian peacekeepers set up observation posts in the two settlements on December 13 after Azerbaijan resumed offensive actions to take the remaining part of Hadrut, having seized most of the region during the war.

According to a trilateral statement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia on November 9, the parties were supposed to remain at their current positions, which means both Hin Tagher and Khtsaberd should have remained under the Armenian side's control. The Russian peacekeepers, however, had no observation point in the area.

On December 13, the villages were included in the "zone of responsibility" of the Russian peacekeeping contingent after the Azerbaijanis launched provocations on December 11. However, the map updated on December 14 shows that the villages have been left out of the zone again.