“Azerbaijan is exhausting its special forces” (video)
Today during the meeting with journalists Artsrun Hovhannisyan, press secretary of Ministry of Defense, said that he had good news; according to the data of the NKR MoD, the situation at the Line of Contact was rather calm, “There were few violations, 10-20 ceasefire violations are current and are considered everyday.” Mr. Hovhannisyan also touched upon the recent tension at the Line of Contact and subversive actions by the adversary by noting that those escalations mainly have political incentives, “They may be the result of Serzh Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting, different inner political developments in Azerbaijan as well as they may aim at influencing the Armenian society.” As for the news that the Azerbaijani side has had more than 15 fatalities, Artsrun Hovhannisyan noted that they will have the approximate picture of the fatalities only at the end of the year, “At present I can only tell that the Azerbaijani side has had more than 200 fatalities. It is difficult to give a final number, as it must be completed from different sources.” He noted that recently there have been few shots toward the RA border positions and villages. As for the use of tank by the adversary, the DM press secretary noted that it isn’t so much effectual, as the artillery, “The matter is that a tank isn’t stationed at the front line, and it is specially brought to the position. Worse escalation occurred by the Azerbaijani side, when D-30 was used. This year Azerbaijan has used the whole gamut of its arms: all types of arms have been used. By the way, it isn’t necessary that the Armenian side retaliate using the same arms, ten shells may be retaliated by one shell and the result may be better and accurate. And, in general, it isn’t right to retaliate using the same arms.” Mr. Hovhannisyan noted that the efficiency of military operations is decided by the failure of the adversary’s intention, “Every time the adversary tries to do something more serious, to increase the caliber of the arms, but it doesn’t end successfully every time. I cannot open the brackets on the preventive measures.” As for the reaction of the CSTO on the border tension, Artsrun Hovhannisyan considered it to be a political question and answering it isn’t within his power, “Yesterday Serzh Sargsyan made an excellent remark on it, and I will add that the RA has huge investment in the development and fulfillment of the CSTO.” Artsrun Hovhannisyan was also asked about the arrest of former Deputy Defense Minister Vahan Shirkhanyan, in reply to which he said, “I cannot comment on it: that question is out of my powers. Vahan Shirkhanyan was Deputy Defense Minister long ago and later he was engaged in other activities.”
