The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan struck military targets in Nagorno Karabakh, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense said.
"With the use of high-precision weapons available in the arsenal of our Army, we destroy only legitimate military targets,” the department said.
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense stressed out that the civilian population and related facilities were not targeted during local anti-terrorist measures in the region.
On September 19, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence announced the start of an anti-terrorist operation in Nagorno Karabakh. The events are being carried out to ensure the provisions of the trilateral statement by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, the department added.
Russia is holding contacts regarding the crisis in Nagorno Karabakh, including with representatives of Azerbaijan, Maria Zakharova, an official spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said, TASS reports.
Russian MP Alexei Chepa said that the actions of the Russian side should be aimed at overcoming a new round of conflict in Nagorno Karabakh.
"The situation looks very serious. We must try to make every effort to extinguish the conflict, otherwise there may be unpleasant consequences. This could be expected in view of the short-sighted provocative policy of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. This is an opportunity to unleash another conflict. Сlearly, there are forces that are deeply interested in this. Everything was developing towards such actions,” Alexei Chepa told lenta.ru publication.
The Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan reported the beginning of local anti-terrorist activities in Nagorno Karabakh. The department also reported attacks with the use of precision weapons on the Armed Forces of Armenia in the region. Residents of the city of Stepanakert in Nagorno Karabakh reported incidents of shelling on the outskirts of the city.
Former State Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan told the Kommersant:
"This is a full-fledged operation, a full-fledged war. There are battles on the ground and in the air. They are trying to seize posts. They are not entering Stepanakert yet. The plan is to defend to the last."
Armenia's Defence Ministry said that the Republic of Armenia did not have its army in Nagorno Karabakh.
In turn, Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry said that the only way to peace in Nagorno Karabakh is to withdraw the Armenian troops from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and liberate the so-called Stepanakert regime.
Firing points and military facilities of the units of the Armenian army have been destroyed, the Defence Ministry of Azerbaijan said.
Representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Zakharova on the crisis in Nagorno Karabakh:
Former State Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan called on the UN to impose sanctions against Azerbaijan. He also urged Russia to use all mechanisms to ensure the security of people living in the republic. Vardanyan also said that Armenia should recognise the independence of Karabakh.
More videos from Nagorno Karabakh on Pravda.Ru Telegram channel.