Russia Pledges Help to Yerevan if Fighting Reaches Armenia

15:32, 31.10.2020

Russia said Saturday it would provide “necessary” assistance to Yerevan in its conflict with Azerbaijan if fighting reached Armenian territory after its ally requested help.

Earlier Saturday Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan formally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin “urgent” consultations on security assistance in its conflict with Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinyan sent the letter to Putin after Armenia and Azerbaijan failed to agree a fresh ceasefire during talks in Geneva on Friday, as fighting continued overnight and Saturday.

The announcements further raised fears of an escalation in fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Some observers are concerned it risks sucking Yerevan’s ally Russia, and Turkey, which backs Baku, into the decades-long conflict.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in fierce fighting for more than a month over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

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