Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire center closes as Russia withdraws
The monitoring center jointly operated by Russian and Turkish forces in Nagorno-Karabakh closed recently, marked by the lowering of both countries' flags. This event signals the conclusion of the Russian peacekeeping mission in the region, a significant development in the South Caucasus. The center's closure comes after nearly 2,000 Russian peacekeepers were deployed to the disputed area in November 2020, following a Moscow-mediated agreement aimed at ceasing hostilities between Azerbaijani forces and ethnic Armenian fighters that had lasted for six weeks. Despite the peacekeeping efforts, Azerbaijan successfully reclaimed control over Nagorno-Karabakh in a military operation last year, leading to the displacement of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from the area and the detention of its ethnic Armenian leadership. This situation prompted criticism from Armenia towards Russia, with claims of Moscow's failure to defend Armenian interests within the region—a claim Russia has denied. The mission, initially intended to last until 2025, was concluded prematurely as announced earlier, with the final withdrawal of the peacekeeping forces scheduled by the end of May. The peacekeepers, including those from Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, congregated for the closure ceremony near Aghdam, a city under Azerbaijani control since 2020, showcasing a moment of cooperation among the nations involved. Sergei Istrikov, the deputy chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces, underscored the importance of international humanitarian law in facilitating the operation's early completion. Meanwhile, Armenia and Azerbaijan are reportedly nearing an agreement to permanently resolve the long-standing conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, dating back to 1988, according to a source from the Azerbaijan defence ministry.