During Azerbaijani attacks Bako Sahakyan instructed to pursue the enemy and destroy its resources

Upon receiving information about the Azerbaijani unleashed large-scale military attacks in Nagorno Karabakh, President of NKR Bako Sahakyan immediately rushed to the Defense Army Command Center, during a press conference in Stepanakert, Bako Sahakyan said that by reviewing the situation in the Command Center he gave relevant instructions and orders.

“I gave the order to the commander of the Defense Army, lieutenant-general Levon Mnatsakanyan instead of organizing resistance, to take measures to stop the enemy’s actions, aiming to pursue the enemy and destroy its manpower and equipment. The order was carried out by the heroic soldiers of the Artsakh army, officers, and volunteers from Armenia and Armenians from around the world. The task was completed with glory, headed by Commander of the Defense Army, Lieutenant General Levon Mnatsakanyan”, Bako Sahakyan said.

Bako Sahakyan also described the discussions which took place in this office in the night of April 2. “Everyone who knows about our everyday work, know that we do not limit ourselves with classical service duty. We start very early and finish very late. That day, when we were in my office, received an information at 01:15 that the adversary is making some moves”, Sahakyan said. Sahakyan discussed this information with the Commander of the Defense Army, lieutenant General Mnatsakanyan , Police Chief General Aghajanyan and National Security Service Director.

“We received the information as another provocation from the adversary, as a tension in the given area. With this preliminary perceptions, we departed. The Commander of the Defense Army went to his office to make further clarifications”, Sahakyan said, adding that the adversary began large scale attacks during the night at 03:00. After this the President rushed to the Command Center to give necessary orders.

Along the entire length of the contact line of Nagorno Karabakh- Azerbaijani opposing forces, on April 1 and throughout the morning of April 2, the adversary undertook large-scale offensive military actions, during which the adversary shelled with missile-artillery units not only Armenian defense positions, but also civilian settlements.

According to the data of the Defense Army, the Azerbaijani armed forces fired MM-21 (Grad) multiple rocket launcher on April 2, at 08: 30 in the direction of Martuni (NKR), killing 12 year old Vaghinak Grigoryan and wounding two other children. 4 other civilians were wounded later.On April 3 the subversive group of Azerbaijan brutally killed 3 elderly and vandalized their corpses in Talish village.

The Armenian side has 32 causalities, 25 soldiers missing, 121 wounded. 5 more people including the heads of two rural communities of Syunik Marz,were killed on their way to Martakert on April 4.

Due to the timely and professional actions of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army, it was possible to take the situation under control, and make the enemy suffer considerable losses. On April 1-5 as a result of the crushing counterattacks by the Armenian side against the military aggressions towards the Nagorno Karabakh Azerbaijan lost 2 helicopters, 24 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 7 UAVs, 1 21-MM multiple rocket launcher system. During military operations the Azerbaijani armed forces had more than 300 causalities, nearly 2000 wounded. On April 5 at 12:00, the fire was ceased in the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces. The agreement of ceasing the fire was reached at the meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow on April 5.

Azerbaijan intensively violates the ceasefire. In the early morning of April 7, two sabotage penetration attempts were made by Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani armed forces fired towards civilian settlements and military units of the Armenian Vardenis city on April 6, 10:35-23:00. In particular, besides firing various caliber weapons, the Azerbaijani side fired large caliber heavy machine guns and 60mm mortars. The Armed Forces of Armenia did everything for maintaining the ceasefire agreement.