Non-binding functions of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh … while peace remains fragile

When the Second Karabakh War ended on November 10, 2020, a peacekeeping contingent from Russia was quick to head to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan under the agreement signed by Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia.

The mission included 1,960 military personnel, 90 armoured personnel carriers, and 380 vehicles, as well as special equipment. Their stay in Karabakh should end in 2025 as it was stated in the trilateral agreement.

Although there was not a clear mandate indicated in the agreement, the peacekeepers are tasked to “monitor the adherence to the ceasefire” both by Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The overall sentiments about their operation in Karabakh in Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot be said to be entirely negative or positive. Both countries regularly voice satisfaction or discontent with the measures taken by the peacekeepers.

For instance, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said in 2021 that the peacekeeping mission is engaged in activities that are not included in their specific functions outlined in the tripartite accord, including humanitarian activities.

To back up President Aliyev’s words, we can recall the opening of the first Orthodox church in Karabakh on the territory of the Russian peacekeepers’ military camp near Khankendi in November 2021. The solemn ceremony was attended by Lieutenant General Rustam Muradov, Deputy Commander of the Russian army’s Southern Military District, and Gennady Anashkin, the then Commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. The church’s launch was interpreted as a “historical event to restore Russian churches” in Karabakh.

Moreover, a mini alley housing the busts of famous Russian personalities was also solemnly unveiled in the backyard of the church.

Solemn opening ceremony of an Orthodox church in Karabakh

The “humanitarian function” of the Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh also spilt over into educational facilities. Specialists of the Russian Center for Humanitarian Response of the peacekeeping contingent, together with undisclosed philanthropists and the Russian community in Karabakh, organised periodical humanitarian actions to assist kindergartens, schools, and universities in Karabakh.

In late 2021, they delivered and installed a carousel, a sports venue, and a playground for pupils on the territory of the boarding school, arranged two kindergartens, as well as conducted peace and security classes, historical quizzes, and transferred textbooks, stationery, and essentials from what were said to be “charitable foundations” in Russia.

Russian peacekeepers visited at least 50 times children in Karabakh schools for interactive lessons on history, patriotic actions, and thematic creative meetings where over 4,600 schoolchildren and students took part.

Russian peacekeepers in one of the schools in Karabakh

The children in Karabakh burst into joy in February 2023 thanks to the next “generous” step by the Russian peacekeepers. Earlier this year, they brought 35 tonnes of humanitarian aid for them, including food and other essentials.

The close engagement of the Russian peacekeepers in the educational sphere in Karabakh, i.e. their “amicable care” of particularly the children, came after the announcement of the Russian language as the “official language” by the self-designed “national assembly” of the separatists in March 2021. The separatist formation explained the decision with the Russian language’s dominance among Karabakh Armenians as the second major communication language and aspirations for “revitalising a new quality of relations and forming a new agenda”.

Some claim that the Russian peacekeepers have been deliberately creating a “goodwill” image among children in Karabakh to advocate for the expansion of the Russian influence since the older generation has not a common idea about Russia and its engagement in the region.

In the meantime, some others allegedly claimed that there are holders of Russian passports in Karabakh. Some even reportedly posted photos of their passports on social media. In March 2021, officials in both Yerevan and Moscow proposed giving Karabakh’s population Russian passports. However, neither Russian nor Armenian officials confirmed the reports.

“A blind eye”

The Russian peacekeepers put themselves on a hot seat last year when they were exposed to allow the illegal shipment of minerals from Karabakh to Armenia via the Lachin road. Back then, Caliber.Az exclusively reported exports of raw materials from the gold mines near the village of Gulyatagh of the former Aghdere (current Terter) region of Azerbaijan, located in the zone of temporary responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping mission. Caliber.Az sources revealed that the syndicate was co-operated by the then commander of the peacekeepers General Andrei Volkov, who was said to share the profits of the illegal business.

The scandal around the peacekeepers spiked when the Azerbaijani side sent a delegation from the Natural Resources Ministry to hold talks with their command. Back then they forcibly blocked the journalists from Azerbaijan to approach the contingent’s headquarters where the talks were held. Their action was condemned as contrary to their functions confirmed in the trilateral agreement of 2020.

Russian peacekeepers block an Azerbaijani journalist from approaching the headquarters of their command

The looting of the minerals in Karabakh by Volkov and his Armenian partners led to a protest by the Azerbaijani eco-activists on the Lachin road. The protest prevented illegal mining activities thanks to the peaceful but resolute rally of the activists.

Simultaneously with the protests, separatists in Karabakh began to use dirt roads bypassing the Lachin road for their illegal shipments. Although it was the Russian peacekeeping mission’s responsibility to stop it, and vice versa, they were seen escorting the convoys shuttling in between Armenia and Karabakh. The separatists were then said to transfer personnel and ammunition from Armenia to their strongholds in Karabakh.

A Russian armoured vehicle escorts illegal shipments from Armenia to Karabakh on a dirt road

Despite the calls from Azerbaijan, the peacekeeper-separatist collaboration did not end leading the Azerbaijani army to take local preventive measures that halted the illegal use of the unpaved roads.

We are not going to dedicate a separate paragraph to ceasefire violations recorded since the arrival of the Russian peacekeepers. The civilian and military positions of Azerbaijan have been regularly targeted by the armed Armenian formations located in their temporary monitoring zone causing deaths and injuries.

Now, given the facts listed above, a question pops up regarding the fate of the Russian peacekeepers: will they stay in Karabakh after 2025? Or adieu?