Azerbaijani FM: Russian peacekeepers warned to leave Karabakh before anti-terror operation

The command of Russian peacekeeping forces in Karabakh was notified about Azerbaijan’s 2023 anti-terror operation 10 to 15 minutes before it began, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said.

In an interview with Public Television (İTV), the minister stated that peacekeepers were instructed to return to their barracks and move to safe areas, being warned that their safety could otherwise be at risk, Caliber.Az writes.

“They mostly followed this [the instruction]. There was no reason for them not to, as over the past three years they had repeatedly been warned about the activities of illegal Armenian armed formations — including the mining of territories, construction of fortifications, and the transport of weapons and ammunition. The peacekeepers, however, claimed that these issues were beyond their mandate, saying they were there only for general observation,” Bayramov explained.

The minister noted that after the voluntary departure of the Armenian population from Karabakh, the question arose about the relevance of the peacekeepers’ continued presence.

“We did not insist on anything serious regarding this issue. We already knew that their presence was temporary. Some had the impression that, if Armenian residents returned, the peacekeepers might again be needed. Such signals were coming from Moscow. However, it soon became clear that Armenians had no intention of returning, and the peacekeepers themselves realized that staying no longer made sense. They were provided with the necessary conditions and left the region after holding their farewell ceremonies,” Bayramov said.

He also recalled that, according to the terms of the trilateral statement, the peacekeeping mission’s mandate would automatically be extended for five years if no party provided notice six months before the expiration date.

“That deadline was May 10, 2025. Even though the Russian peacekeepers were no longer in Azerbaijan, from a purely legal standpoint — to prevent any future questions — we sent an official note to the Russian side on April 30 this year, fully outlining the situation. We declared that their mandate was completely annulled,” the minister concluded.

By Khagan Isayev