Russia To Provide 'Necessary' Security Assistance To Yerevan If Fighting Reaches Armenia

Russia says it would provide “necessary” assistance to Yerevan if fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh reached Armenia’s territory.

“Russia will render Yerevan all necessary assistance if clashes take place directly on the territory of Armenia,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on October 31, calling on the warring sides to immediately halt the violence.

Earlier on October 31, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin “urgent” consultations on security assistance.

Pashinian, in his letter to Putin, said that violence was getting closer to Armenia’s borders and reiterated that Azerbaijan’s ally Turkey was backing Baku, according to the statement.

“The prime minister of Armenia has asked the Russian president to begin urgent consultations with the aim of determining the kind and amount of aid which the Russian Federation can provide Armenia to ensure its security,” Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on October 31.

The statements came a day after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to avoid targeting civilian populations and take other “urgent” steps during talks with international mediators in Geneva aimed at helping to bring a halt in fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh after three previous cease-fires failed.

The current clashes broke out on September 27 and fighting has persisted despite three cease-fire agreements that unraveled as quickly as they were agreed.

In requesting Moscow’s help, Pashinian invoked a 1997 treaty on friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance.

Russia, which has a major military base in Armenia, also guarantees Yerevan’s security under the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Putin said earlier this month that Russia’s commitments to Armenia as part of CSTO do not include Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. Baku is not a CSTO member.

The extension of the fighting into Armenian territory could invoke defense obligations from the CSTO, which Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are also members of.

Article 4 of the CSTO treaty states that “in the event of an act of aggression against any of the participating States, all other participating States will provide it with the necessary assistance, including military [assistance].

With reporting by AFP and TASS