In an interview with the Azerbaijani TV channels, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev revealed another unknown episode from the history of the second Karabakh war: “It happened when we moved in the direction of Zangilana to the border with Armenia, and the village of Agband remained a few kilometers. We got The information that the Armenian side turned to Russia with a request to send part of the contingent of the Russian military base in Gyumri, to the border, to Zangilan. They wanted to justify that Azerbaijan allegedly intends to seize a significant part of the territory of Armenia. Although there were no such intentions. However, there was a very limited contingent of Russian servicemen from the base in Gyumri. We had such operational information.
Immediately after this incident, the Armenian armed forces began the shelling of the Azerbaijani troops literally because of the backs of Russian servicemen. The distance was very small, so they were shot even from mortars. There we suffered losses. But, naturally, they answered the fire, and Armenians immediately appealed to Russia, they say, Azerbaijan shoots Russian servicemen. Is it possible to introduce such a degree of lowness? By the way, the Russian side later, already in contacts with us, perceived this event just like me: it is nothing like meanness. That is, the Armenians wanted us, opening the response fire in Armenian positions, caused damage to the Russian servicemen, and thus intended to achieve their goal – to involve Russia in this war.
Many events that occurred during the period of war indicate a challenge of the Action of the Armenian side. Even in relation to its own servicemen. We found so many Armenian servicemen, chained chains – in the trenches, cars. The military and political command of Armenia ordered to shoot deserters in place. “