Azerbaijani defence minister sends condolences to Russian counterpart over peacekeeper's killing
By Vafa Ismayilova
Azerbaijani Defence Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov has sent a letter of condolences to his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu over the killing of a Russian peacekeeper in a mine blast in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Russian Defence Ministry said on December 18 that the serviceman was killed while demining a road. The officer died on his way to hospital from heavy wounds after a mine exploded near the town of Shusha.
"I was deeply saddened by the news of the death of an officer of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during the demining of a road section in the vicinity of the city of Shusha. On my own behalf and on behalf of the military personnel of the Azerbaijan Army, I extend my sincere condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of the deceased officer. We share your grief over the tragedy," Hasanov said in his letter.
Russia suffered its first casualty in Nagorno-Karabakh since its peacekeepers were deployed in the region in November under a Moscow-brokered cease-fire deal that brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. About 2,000 Russian peacekeeping troops were deployed in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, following the deal. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed the agreement on November 10 to end the war and work toward a comprehensive solution. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since early 1990s.
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