Armenian soldier. File photoYEREVAN, Oct 17The Ministry of Defense of Armenia substantiated the presence of artillery on the border with Azerbaijan in the Vardenis direction with defensive purposes. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan stated that Armenia was concentrating manpower and artillery mounts to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. «The presence of artillery in the Vardenis direction is directly related to the transfer and deployment of additional forces and means of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, which caused a certain tension. The actions of the Armenian side, taken after the deployment of additional Azerbaijani artillery and anti-aircraft weapons in this zone, are exclusively defensive in nature,» Defense Ministry spokesman Aram Torosyan wrote on social networks. According to him, the actions of the Armenian side are not aimed at aggravating the situation, and if Baku withdraws the indicated funds from this direction, the Armenian side will also withdraw its additional funds. «The Armenian side is ready to negotiate on this issue,» Torosyan said.The European Union will send 40 observers to the border between Armenia and AzerbaijanFightings periodically take place on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The last serious aggravation occurred on the night of September 13th. Yerevan stated that the Azerbaijani military fired at the border areas of Armenia — Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor, Syunik regions (connects Armenia with Iran) using artillery and drones. These territories have nothing to do with Karabakh. Baku stated that the Armenian military fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani troops on the border, there was a clash. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry accused Armenia of intending to disrupt the peace process. Both sides reported losses among their military. By morning, the parties agreed to a ceasefire. As the head of the international committee of the Federation Council Grigory Karasin told RIA Novosti, a truce on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan was achieved thanks to the efforts of Russia, including after the conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the work of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
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