Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the announcement after more than nine hours of consultations with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

The ceasefire will be established for humanitarian purposes, i.e. exchange of prisoners of war and bodies with the mediation and in line with the criteria of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Lavrov said.

He added that concrete parameters of the ceasefire will be agreed additionally.

The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan will proceed to substantial negotiations with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, with a view of reaching soonest settlement of the conflict in a peaceful way.

Zartonk media, however, said in the morning that Azerbaijan struck Stepanakert civilian areas with missiles.