ArmInfo.The large-scale military exercises planned by Baku are an attempt to put pressure in the context of a possible meeting between the heads of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev. Such an opinion was expressed by Spokesperson f the Defense Ministry of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan.
In particular, the representative of the RA Ministry of Defense on his page on Facebook wrote: "According to paragraph 40.1.1 of chapter V of the Vienna Document of 2011, military exercises are to be notified if at least 9 thousand people participate in them, including supporting troops, or at least 250 tanks or 500 armored combat vehicles, at least 250 self-propelled and towed artillery, mortars and multiple launch rocket systems (caliber 100 mm and above) ".
It is also noted that, at the same time, as required by paragraph 66 of Chapter VII of the Vienna Document of 2011, information on military activities subject to prior notification and not included in the annual plan should be provided to all participating states as soon as possible according to the template provided in the annual plan.
Artsrun Hovhannisyan reports that from March 11 to 15 this year the Azerbaijani Armed Forces plan to conduct large-scale maneuvers in the following composition: 1. personnel - 10,000 people, 2. up to 500 battle tanks and other armored vehicles, 3. up to 300 rocket and artillery installations of different caliber, multiple launch rocket launchers and mortars, 4. to 20 units of army and front-line aviation for various purposes.
The drills, as Hovhannisyan writes, will be offensive in nature. "The purpose of the exercises is preparing troops for offensive operations, striking a conditional enemy in several directions, delivering missile and artillery strikes on the enemy, destroying important military and strategic facilities, testing a new type of weapon and equipment."
"I inform you that Azerbaijan, within the framework of the Vienna Document 2011, did not notify the participating States of the above-mentioned exercises, and in such cases, in accordance with the aforementioned paragraph, Azerbaijan is obliged to notify about this as soon as possible, but OSCE has not yet received any notification from the Azerbaijan's side through the information network, "he wrote. In this regard, the representative of the Armenian Defense Ministry makes the following conclusion: "It is assumed that this exercise is organized in the context of the Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting, and is an attempt to put pressure in response to statements that Armenia will not cede any territories to Azerbaijan," the statement reads.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that from March 11 to 15, large-scale maneuvers will be held in the country, in which up to 10,000 people will take part. According to the Defense Ministry, up to 10 thousand military personnel, about 500 units of tanks, armored vehicles, including automotive and special equipment, up to 300 rocket and artillery installations of various calibers, multiple launch rocket systems and mortars, up to 20 units of army and front-line aviation for various purposes will take part in the maneuvers.