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.