Unlike Azerbaijan, Armenia does not shell at peaceful villages, Yuri Khachaturov, Chief of the Armenian Armed Forces General staff, told reporters on September 30.
So far, he said, there is no need for peacekeepers of either the CSTO or any other organizations. "We are able to manage the problems created by our neighbor Azerbaijan. Several thousands of mines and shells have exploded in the Armenian villages and three villagers were killed during the last few days. We retaliate but avoid shelling at peaceful population of the Azerbaijani villages," Khachaturov said. Yuri Khachaturov said that Baku's unwillingness to create mechanisms of inquiry into the incidents on the Line of Contact and pull back snipers negatively affects the situation in the conflict zone. He said the countries' leaderships adopt all the important decisions and only they can stop artillery shelling. As to the CSTO's silence amid the upsurge of tensions in the Karabakh conflict zone, Yuri Khachaturov said he would like to listen to the CSTO's response to it, as the CSTO member-countries are members of a common mechanism. "We do not need help, but we would like to see them respond as a sign of support," Khachaturov said.
He said that the situation on the Line of Contact was relatively calm, but around 100 mines exploded overnight. "It is calm in the area of Nakhijevan. The ceasefire is breached manly on the Line of Contact. The Armenian party has suffered no casualties. By our data, Azerbaijan has suffered human losses, but the information on it is censored," he said.
"Indestructible Brotherhood 2015" military exercises of CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces are conducted in Armenia's "Baghramyan" military training center from September 30 to October 4. The exercises will touch upon the theme of "Preparation and conduct of peacekeeping operations for the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces, within the region of the Caucasus," the Defense Ministry press-office said.
The exercises are attended by the representatives of the Armed Forces and Police subdivisions of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, as well as representatives of the ICRC and CSTO Joint Headquarters and Secretariat. The main objectives of "Indestructible Brotherhood 2015" are the strengthening of mutual understanding and cooperation amongst peacekeeping contingents involved in the exercises, improvement of the practical skills of the commanders and headquarters involved in the preparatory stage of peacekeeping operations, and implementation of a common development plan intended to solve problems related with isolation and cessation of conflict. About 500 pieces of military hardware and 600 servicemen are involved in the drills.
The event organizers did not confirm to ArmInfo the rumors that Iskander-M and Typhoon missile systems will be pulled to Armenia.