Moscow believes that the optimal solution to the issue of the exchange of prisoners of war captured during the war in Nagorno-Karabakh is the "all for all" formula, the representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said Thursday, February 11.

“We are working with both our Azerbaijani and Armenian colleagues, including through the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed in the conflict zone in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Zakharova said, reminding about the recent exchange of prisoners of war, when 5 Armenians and 1 Azerbaijani were repatriated.

“In general, we believe that the optimal solution to this issue is the “all for all” formula. Our position is well known. Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have spoken about this,” she added.

Several dozen Armenian POWs returned from Azerbaijan in mid-December, although Armenian officials said many more people were being held in Baku. Dozens of others, both servicemen and civilians, have been captured after the completion of military hostilities. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said in one of his speeches that the newly detained persons are not prisoners of war but “terrorists”. Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakyan has said, meanwhile, that at least 120 Armenian prisoners of war are being held in Azerbaijan. Sahakyan represents the rights of some of the Karabakh POWs before the European Court of Human Rights. The lawyer said there is enough evidence proving the capture of said persons, which the Armenian side will submit to international agencies and courts.