Defense Ministry of Armenia makes statement on military exercises in Nakhijevan

Defense Ministry of Armenia has disseminated a statement over the ongoing military exercises in Nakhijevan (Azerbaijan).

In line with the Vienna document dating back to 2011 (40.1.1, chapter 5) military exercises must be announced if they involve at least 9,000 troops, at least 250 armored tanks and over 500 armored vehicles, artillery, missiles systems and heavy weapons (100mm and higher), the Ministry says. 

The Ministry recalls that under point 66, party 7 of the Vienna document, if a signatory-country plans exercises that exceed the planned ones by their scale, it is to inform the signatory-states of it in time and as required by the document.   

"The signatory-states were not informed beforehand of the operative and tactical exercises in Nakhijevan on June 17-24. Azerbaijan has violated the Vienna document, as it failed to announce the exercises. No information have been received through the OSCE channels concerning Azerbaijan's operative and tactical exercises," the Defense Ministry of Armenia says in the statement According to contact.az, "in line with Azerbaijan's Armed Forces readiness plan for 2016 an operational-tactical exercise will be held for the period from 19 to 24 of June with all the arms and services.  The exercise to be conducted under the supervision of Defence Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, will involve about 25,000 servicemen, more than 300 tanks and armored combat vehicles, more than 100 rocket artillery launchers, up to 40 military aircrafts and more than 30 air defense systems, ships of naval forces and special forces units.  Military ranges located in the frontal zone, and in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, as well as the Azerbaijani sector of Caspian Sea set up as exercise areas.  The main objective of the exercise is to improve the skills of command of formations and military branches in command and control and combat systems, as well as improving coordination and interoperability of combat elements in difficult conditions of modern combined arms battle."