Ongoing developments in Artsakh  element of serious geopolitical  scheme against Russia, scholar says 

ArmInfo.The ongoing developments in Artsakh are an element of a serious geopolitical scheme against Russia, an integral part of the general geopolitical situation, Ruben Melkonyan, Professor of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Yerevan  State University, said in an interview with ArmInfo. 

On March 24, the Azerbaijani armed forces crossed the line of contact  and invaded the village of Parukh, Askeran region. The Azerbaijani  side used a Bayraktar TB-2 combat drone, which killed three  servicemen of the Artsakh Defense Army. On March 27, Russia's RF  Ministry of Defense reported the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani troops  from the village, but official Baku refuted the report. 

"In the context of the Ukraine developments, certain forces were  expected to create new hotbeds for the warring Russia. And with the  Azerbaijani-Turkish Shushi Declaration considered, the latest  escalation in Artsakh should, beyond doubt, be viewed in a  geopolitical context. Moreover, it is the aforementioned logic that  accounts for it," Mr Melkonyan said. 

According to him, Turkey's desire to take advantage of the situation  is quite logical in the context of Turkish political and diplomatic  traditions. And the present-day target, a height above two Artsakh  villages, does not at all mean an end to the problems. It is a  continuous process, with Turkey's satellite Azerbaijan to keep on  laying claims.  

As regards Moscow's reaction to the Turkish-Azerbaijani schemes,  Prof. Melkonyan notes that Russia's initial intention was to rule it  out. With this end in view, it actually signed a declaration on  alliance with Azerbaijan. Moscow also sought to prevent Baku's  activity in Artsakh in the context of the latest developments in  Ukraine, which ran counter to the other major actors' interests. 

"It is clear that in the context of the present geopolitical  situation, Russia's potential to prevent the Turkish- Azerbaijani  alliance's actions is seriously limited. And, of course, Turkey and  Azerbaijan are capitalizing on it as they are aware of Moscow's new  problems on a new front of the general confrontation and are  advancing their own interests and pushing ahead with their goals. I  think Armenia's society should consider this real state of affairs in  adopting its position on the present-day developments. As regards  Armenia's authorities, they appear to 'have washed their hands of it'  and placed the responsibility for the situation in Artsakh on Russia  - and it is a major blunder," Mr Melkonyan said.