The Armenian Defense Ministry said Major-General Andrei Volkov briefed Papikian on the situation and “current developments” in the peacekeepers’ area of responsibility. They also discussed broader security in the region, the ministry said in a statement.
“The interlocutors praised the Russian Federation’s efforts to stabilize the military-political situation in the region as well as the course and effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Artsakh (Karabakh),” read the statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian likewise noted the peacekeepers’ “decisive contribution” to the security of Karabakh’s population in a joint declaration released after their talks held outside Moscow on April 19.
The declaration followed Armenia’s criticism of the peacekeepers’ failure to prevent Azerbaijani troops from seizing a village in Karabakh and nearby hills in March. Pashinian repeatedly called on Moscow to investigate the “inactivity” of its troops.
The peacekeepers were also criticized for refusing to allow Armenian opposition parliamentarians to visit Karabakh on April 12. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said the ban ran counter to the terms of the Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the Armenian-Azerbaijani war in November 2020.
The Russian Foreign Ministry insisted, however, the Russian soldiers acted “in strict conformity” with the truce accord.