Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia will demand deployment of Russian troops along its border to avoid further escalation with Azerbaijan.

“Given the complexity of the situation, I think it makes sense to consider the deployment of Russian border guards along the entire Armenia-Azerbaijan border,” Nikol Pashinyan told reporters following a government meeting.

Pashinyan said that the presence of Russian troops on the border will “make it possible to carry out border demarcation activities without the risk of a military conflict”.

Pashinyan’s statement followed the clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers. Three Armenians lost their lives in an armed conflict near the border village of Sotk in the east of the country. Both countries blamed each other.

Supported by Turkey, Azerbaijan launched a military campaign to seize control of Nagorno-Karabakh in the fall of 2020. More than 6,500 people were killed during the conflict. After six weeks of fighting, a ceasefire was signed as a result of which Armenia had to cede many areas under its control to Azerbaijan. Around 2,000 Russian soldiers were deployed around Nagorno-Karabakh.

Tensions have risen on the border line in recent months. Yerevan accused Baku of trying to bring new areas under its control.

Since May, the two countries have been negotiating to determine the border line under the leadership of Russia.