Military experts assess appearance of a peacemaking post on Mount Karaglukh

The establishment of a peacemakers' post on Mount Karaglukh is not a guarantee against an Azerbaijan's strike, but it provides Russian militaries with a positional advantage that has a deterrent role, Armenian military analysts believe. In their turn, Azerbaijani military experts have treated the post as the result of a Russian-Azerbaijani compromise.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 8, due to shelling, Khramort villagers were evacuated. After March 15, they began returning home, but on March 24, Karabakh claimed that Azerbaijani militaries had violated the contact line in the Askeran District. To ensure their future safety, a post of Russian peacemakers has been set up on Mount Karaglukh, the president of Nagorno-Karabakh announced on April 9.

The Russian post, located on Mount Karaglukh in the place where the Armenian military position had used to be, will not be able to guarantee villagers' safety, if Azerbaijan decides to strike, a retired officer of the Armenian Army told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on condition of anonymity.

However, he has added that Russian militaries possess a positional dominance for an operative impact. "The presence at this height allows them to react promptly if necessary," he has stated.

Mger Akopyan, a military expert, believes that the Russian military post on Mount Karaglukh plays a deterrent role. However, according to his version, this circumstance is relative, since if Russia's position in the international arena is shaken, Azerbaijan will definitely take advantage of this and provoke a new escalation.

Telman Abilov, the head of the NGO "Military Officers", believes that the establishment of a new Russian post is most likely a peacemakers' compromise with Azerbaijan.

"The redeployment of Azerbaijani militaries and occupation by them of a number of strategic heights has caused dissatisfaction on the Russian side and even resulted in public statements. The Russian peacemaking contingent has accused Azerbaijan of violating the terms of the tripartite agreement and demanded the withdrawal of troops. Baku justified its actions just by the agreement and refused to leave the heights. But in order to avoid further escalation, Azeri militaries did not object to the establishment of a Russian post on the last remaining height located in this direction," Mr Abilov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 12, 2022 at 02:42 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.