Rights defenders warn of escalation risk of Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict in Moscow

There were clashes of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Moscow, but this scale was observed for the first time, said Alexander Verkhovsky, the director of the "Sova" Information and Analytical Centre, who believes that someone managed the conflict. They do not want to fight either in Armenia or in Azerbaijan, but the longer the conflict lasts, the more grievances accumulate, said Alexei Simonov, a human rights defender.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 24, in Moscow there were clashes between natives of Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to law enforcers, 22 participants in mass fights were detained.

The confrontation in Moscow of natives of Armenia and Azerbaijan has to do with the aggravation of the armed conflict on the two countries' border on July 12, said Levon Mukanyan, Vice-President of the Union of Russian Armenians. He stressed that it is unacceptable to transfer the conflict from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border to Russia and other countries.

"The video was shocking where a group of young people was beating up a 68-year-old man," said Yuri Navoyan, a political analyst.

Alexei Simonov, President of the "Glasnost Defence Fund", believes that the Karabakh issue can hardly be resolved in the near future.

"Everywhere, there are wonderful people, hospitable and helpful. None of them wants war. They need peace in order to live, work and raise children," he said.