Russian peacekeepers leaving Khojaly airport

A solemn ceremony has been held at the Khojaly airport to mark the end of the Russian peacekeeping contingent's (RCC) mission in Azerbaijani territory.

The footage, which came online from a local news agency Report, shows the peacekeepers' military equipment leaving the region after the ceremony, Caliber.Az reports.

The withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping contingent from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan began on April 17. This came a year ahead of the originally planned withdrawal date of November 2025.

The decision on the early withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping contingent from the territory of Azerbaijan was taken by the highest leadership of both countries and prematurely reflects the changing security dynamics in the region.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence was tasked to monitor the process of withdrawal, ensuring a smooth and efficient exit of the Russian peacekeepers from Azerbaijani territory.

The Russian peacekeepers were deployed in the Karabakh region according to the tripartite agreement signed between Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders in November 2020 to put an end to the Second Karabakh War.

The Azerbaijan Armed Forces conducted local anti-terrorist measures on September 19-20, 2023, to neutralize illegal Armenian armed formations and their military infrastructure in the Karabakh region.

Following the collapse of the illegal Armenian separatist regime, the necessity for peacekeepers in the Karabakh region diminished due to restored peace. Consequently, dozens of their observation posts were closed after the Azerbaijani military regained full control of the region in September 2023.