Ruben Vardanyan urges Armenia to recognize Artsakh amid Azeri attack

Artsakh’s former State Minister Ruben Vardanyan calls on the Armenian authorities to recognize Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and defend its Armenian population amid a fresh Azerbaijani attack.

"The Armenian leadership must recognize Artsakh’s independence and join the protection of its citizens. We must all protect our homeland!" he said in a social media post.

Vardanyan said earlier that Azerbaijan had launched a massive artillery attack against Nagorno-Karabakh, targeting its cities and civilians.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry called it "anti-terrorist operations of a local character", adding Russian peacekeepers had been told about their activities.