Following a meeting with Brice Recqay, the French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan characterized the Azerbaijani army’s actions in Nagorno-Karabakh as an act of terrorism. He spoke after the talks, stating that the incident resulted in the deaths of three police officers and underscored the seriousness of the threat facing the region. The Prime Minister’s remarks reflected a broader concern about the security situation in and around Nagorno-Karabakh and highlighted the interplay between military steps and humanitarian consequences in contested areas.
During the dialogue, Pashinyan drew Recqay’s attention to a sabotage operation attributed to Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh on March 5. He emphasized that such acts of sabotage, carried out in parallel with measures aimed at restricting access through the Lachin corridor and triggering a humanitarian crisis, signal a sustained pattern of pressure in the region. The Prime Minister described these developments as part of a broader campaign that, in his view, seeks to alter the demographic and political landscape of Artsakh through coercive measures rather than through dialogue.
In his assessment, the Armenian leader argued that the sabotage actions cannot be simply labeled as terrorism and indicated that they are part of a larger sequence of operations designed to undermine stability. He noted that, in addition to the violence, Azerbaijan has pursued a strategy of tightening the blockade around Lachin, which has serious humanitarian repercussions for residents of Nagorno-Karabakh. He stated that these efforts run concurrently with ongoing attacks over a period of several months, creating a climate of fear among the Armenian population and increasing pressure on regional residents to seek drastic solutions.
Pashinyan also called for international involvement to verify and document the ongoing situation. He proposed sending an international information gathering team to oversee the Lachin corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh, arguing that independent observation is essential to establishing accountability and to informing the international community about who is responsible for the targeting and deterioration of civilian conditions in the area.
Separately, the official spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, commented on the tense situation, stressing Moscow’s concern over the escalation around Nagorno-Karabakh. She urged all parties to exercise restraint and to avoid actions that could worsen tensions. The statement from Moscow signals a call for de-escalation from a major regional actor, while leaving room for continued diplomatic engagement aimed at stabilizing the area and preventing further casualties.
These exchanges come amid ongoing discussions about the role of international mediation and the importance of maintaining humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh. Observers note that the stability of the Lachin corridor remains a pivotal factor in the broader peace process, influencing both security guarantees and the day-to-day lives of residents. Analysts suggest that sustained international attention and a clear commitment to verifiable steps could help de-link military activities from civilian suffering, paving the way for renewed negotiations and confidence-building measures between the parties involved.