Armenian military’s bizarre moves raise doubts about their mental state another attempt to spark confrontation with Azerbaijani servicemen / video

The absurd drama on the Armenian frontlines is escalating. The latest scene in this bizarre spectacle took place in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Lachin district. In newly surfaced video footage sent to Caliber.Az, an Armenian soldier is seen abandoning his observation post, climbing up a mound before a fortification, and, of all things, hurling stones at Azerbaijani military positions.

This “stone-throwing” tactic is rapidly becoming the go-to move for Armenian provocateurs. And, as it turns out, it’s not the first time it’s happened. On May 9, at around 17:40, a nearly identical incident occurred at a combat position near the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. This time, an Armenian soldier, standing above a trench, was yelling obscenities, making threats, and trying to provoke the Azerbaijani soldiers into reacting.

But, once again, the Armenian calculations fell short. Azerbaijani troops maintained their composure, observing the situation with calm precision, but never biting the bait of these petty provocations.

The question that arises from this behavior is simple: is this a case of chronic discipline issues, or—more likely—a complete lack of sanity? It almost seems like the Armenian Armed Forces need to replace their tactical drills with appointments with psychiatrists.

One thing’s for certain, though: the lessons learned from the 44-day war and the brief anti-terror operation seem to be fading fast from the minds of the Armenian military. That’s a costly mistake. While Azerbaijani soldiers can show restraint, even they have their limits. And once those limits are reached, the response will be quick and painful. At that point, Armenia’s military won’t need psychiatrists, but construction workers with shovels—because it’ll be time to fill up "Yerablur" cemetery again.

By Tamilla Hasanova