The parts of the Artsakh helicopter downed by Azerbaijan will be submitted for expert examination, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan told media on Saturday.
"The tough state stand of Azerbaijan, the lack of logic, the reluctance to be committed to the principles of humanism during both the downing of the helicopter and prevention of retrieval of the victims' bodies have forced the leadership of the NKR Defense Army to resort to special actions", the minister said. He added that due to the professional skills of the NKR military, the specific site of the downing was determined and the body of a pilot and the remains of the other two pilots were retrieved.
"Though the enemy tried to hinder the retrieval of the helicopter parts by making a trap, they were retrieved and the trap was liquidated. The parts of the helicopter will shortly be submitted for examination", the minister stressed. Ohanyan added that one should be proud of the servicemen, who carried out that difficult task.
When asked whether there will be a response to Azerbaijan's provocation, Ohanyan pointed out that the measures will be strengthened to find and liquidate the enemy. "We give a worthy response to those who try to violate the peace", he stressed.
To note, the NKR Defense Army Special Forces have recovered the body of a crewmember and the remains of the two pilots of Mi-24 helicopter that was downed by Azerbaijani forces on 12 November. The necessary wreckage was recovered too. Two Azerbaijani militaries were killed in the course of the special operation. The NKR Defense Army suffered no losses.
To remind, the Azerbaijani armed forces downed an Armenian Mi-24 while it was conducting a training flight near the Line on Contact on 12 November. Three officers of the NKR Armed Forces, Sergey Sahakyan, Sargis Nazaryan and Azat Sahakyan, were on board. The Azeri officer that shot the helicopter down has been awarded a medal.