Nov 12: Today, the Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy held a briefing in the National Center for State Defence Control. The briefing was focused on the participation of Russian military personnel in the peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh.
As is known, on November 10, 2020, in accordance with the agreements of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the President of the Russian Federation, a ceasefire was established in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. Currently, hostilities have been stopped by both sides. Units of the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia have been stopped at their positions.
A peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is being brought into the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire and military operations.
The core of the Russian contingent is made up of units of the 15th separate motorized rifle brigade of the Central Military District. The total number of the contingent is 1,960 military personnel, 90 armoured personnel carriers, 380 units of automobile and special equipment. To ensure the fulfilment of peacekeeping tasks, it is also envisaged to use army aviation and complexes with unmanned aerial vehicles.
The peacekeeping contingent consists only of contract servicemen who have undergone special training to perform peacekeeping tasks.
The personnel underwent special training in the study and observance of the norms of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts.
Almost all military personnel have experience in performing tasks to support and protect humanitarian operations in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The peacekeeping contingent is equipped with the most modern weapons, military and special equipment, including armoured personnel carriers BTR-82A, armoured vehicles “Tiger” and “Typhoon”, as well as provided with all the necessary types of food.
In order to control compliance with the agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is planned to set up sixteen observation posts in the areas of responsibility “North” and “South”. They will be deployed along the line of contact of the sides in Nagorno-Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor.
They are charged with collecting information on violations of the ceasefire regime, promptly communicating this data to the command of the peacekeeping forces, as well as maintaining the safety of transit traffic and suppressing illegal actions against civilians. This will contribute to an early transition to a peaceful life and the return of refugees.
Military police units that are part of the peacekeeping contingent will also perform tasks in the area of the peacekeeping mission. They are responsible for conducting patrols along the contact line, escorting convoys and cargo.
To control the operation, a command of the peacekeeping forces was created, which included officers with extensive experience in commanding troops in armed conflicts.
From the morning of November 10, 2020, the transfer of the Russian peacekeeping contingent from the Ulyanovsk airfield to the Erebuni airfield in Armenia began by the Il-76 and An-124 military transport aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
During the day, 27 flights were made. 414 military personnel, 54 units of automobile and special equipment, eight helicopters, as well as two complexes of unmanned aerial vehicles were transported.
The National Center for State Defence Control of the Russian Federation organized interaction with the relevant ministries and departments, which made it possible to organize the transfer of the peacekeeping contingent to the conflict zone in the shortest possible time.
To date, the advanced units of the contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have taken control of the Lachin corridor and the section of the Lachin road – the Lysogorsky sovkhoz (state farm) with the deployment of temporary observation posts.
Units of the first peacekeeping battalion of the 15th separate motorized rifle brigade, after unloading at the Erebuni airfield, made a three-hundred-kilometre march and are completing their concentration in the area of the Goris settlement. From November 12, 2020, in order to ensure the safety of the civilian population, it is planned to deploy observation posts in the “South” zone of responsibility, where active hostilities were going on two days ago.
To carry out peacekeeping tasks, prevent possible incidents and ensure the safety of Russian military personnel, continuous interaction with the general staffs of the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia has been organized. Communication through direct channels has been established.
Together with the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides, work was organized to clarify the parameters of the peacekeeping operation.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation has deployed a combat command group that monitors the situation on a 24-hour basis.
The General Staff has planned all the necessary measures to ensure the security of Russian servicemen.
The personnel of the peacekeeping contingent understands the full responsibility of the tasks assigned to it and is ready to carry them out in strict accordance with the agreements reached.
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