Armenian President seeks Russia's Putin's help in freeing captives held in Azerbaijan

Armenian President Armen Sargsyan has sought Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin’s intervention in assisting the return of Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan since the Nagorno-Karabakh region dispute escalated, said Sargsyan’s office on November 30. As per an ANI report citing Russian news agency Sputnik, the letter to Putin’s office by Armenian President said that Russia’s “mediation would largely contribute” to the solution of the “highly sensitive” issue concerning the return of the servicemen along with the bodies of those who were killed during the unrest.

"The letter sent to Putin says, in particular, that the Armenian society and expatriate community are deeply concerned over the situation around servicemen and civilians taken captive by Azerbaijan," Sargsyan's office said in a statement. It further added, "the Russian president's mediation would largely contribute to the solution of the highly sensitive problem of returning servicemen and civilians held by Azerbaijan, and the bodies of those killed." 

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Armenian President calls for govt’s resignation

Meanwhile, on November 29, Armenian President said that the government should step down and new elections should be held within a year allowing an interim government of national accord to be formed, preferable a technocratic one. As per reports, he also criticised the entire government during his meeting with the representatives of the Armenian community in Russia. 

Amid the soaring tensions, Sargsyan denounced the signing of a peace deal with Azerbaijan by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for a ceasefire in the disputed mountainous region as “great tragedy”. According to Armenian President, the government that led the nation into such ‘tragedy’ “has to go”.

The leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a joint statement on a complete cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. As per the statement, Armenia and Azerbaijan stop at their occupied positions, a number of districts come under Baku’s control, the sides exchange prisoners, and Russian peacekeepers are deployed along the contact line and the Lachin corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia.

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