Armenia Azerbaijan Conflict

[bojan]

In general, avoid using twitter as a source w/o at least double checking source. Triple checking if it is coming from an involved side in the conflict.

[AttilaA]

LORA ballistic missile.

https://t.me/military_az/9596

 

 

[AttilaA]

Azerbaijani TB2s spotted with Hensoldt Argos 2 HDT. It seems like the new batch of Azerbaijani TB2s are now equipped with Hensoldt Argos 2 following the WESCAM ban on Turkey (TB2s used WESCAM MX-15D).

Turkey itself has started to equip its UAVs with domestically produced Aselsan CATS, but Azerbaijan must have preferred Hensoldt Argos 2 (seems to have better specs on paper).

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by AttilaA

[AttilaA]

Vehicle mounted ATGM: Spike LR, Spike ER, Khrizantema

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by AttilaA

[AttilaA]

https://t.me/military_az/10006

 

[AttilaA]

 

 

[Roman Alymov]

On 1/14/2022 at 10:45 PM, AttilaA said:

 

 

Interesting to see Russian is the language of all controls,  contrary to my belief that export version got English menus and controls

[Roman Alymov]

 

[Roman Alymov]

Yandex-translation of https://topwar.ru/190941-pochemu-armenii-nikogda-ne-pobedit-azerbajdzhan.html
Why will Armenia never defeat Azerbaijan?
 

[SPOILER=Article text]

Today, 04:32
In general, here we will talk not only about eternal rivals, Armenia and Azerbaijan, which nothing will ever reconcile, but about Turkey, which stands behind Azerbaijan.
Everyone knows that the Turks are essentially Azerbaijanis and Turks, the same relatives as Russians and Belarusians. Early on, we discussed on our pages this very smart and fruitful policy of "Two countries – one people", which is being implemented by Turkey.
And already today, the tentacles of the Ottoman Empire under construction have stretched very far. The idea of pan-Turkism was highly supported in the same Kazakhstan, Turkish specialists worked there, training personnel for law enforcement agencies. How well is another question, but we will leave Kazakhstan aside. Time will tell how much everything will be calmed and laid to rest there.
But the fact that Armenia and Azerbaijan will come together more than once for Karabakh is not to be confused, it will happen for sure. And I think the result will be exactly the same as in the last fight. That is, a well-deserved victory of the Azerbaijani side. The only question is how: by points or by knockout.
The question arises: where does such confidence come from?

Answer: from the analysis. It is very easy to take a close look at who leads the armies of the two countries. Who spends and how much money on equipping armies. Who and how trains personnel for armies.

Azerbaijan. 
The Supreme Commander–in-Chief is Ilham Aliyev, a worthy son of his father. It's not even a matter of clannishness and continuity, Aliyev Jr. is a really good leader and politician. He has a brilliant education at MGIMO of the Soviet model and genes on his side. The Aliyevs are generally gifted in their mass.
The Minister of Defense is Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov. He is a graduate of the Jamshid Nakhichevan Baku Special School (an analogue of the Suvorov School), the Baku Military Academy and the Academy of the USSR General Staff.
Deputy Minister, Chief of the General Staff - Colonel-General Kerim Veliyev. Baku University (with honors) and Frunze Academy. Got combat experience.
Deputy Minister - Lieutenant General Nizam Osmanov. Baku VOKU.
Deputy Minister, Commander of the Ground Forces - Lieutenant General Enver Efendiev. Baku Military Academy, Academy of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, Academy of the Land Forces of the Republic of Turkey.
Deputy Minister - Colonel-General Kerem Mustafayev. Baku Military Academy, Academy of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan.
Deputy Minister, Commander of the Air Force - Lieutenant General Ramiz Tairov. Kiev VZRIU with honors, Academy under the President of Azerbaijan, Vasilevsky Air Defense Academy.
Probably, it should be said that the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan are headed by well-trained specialists who have completed an excellent course of training in universities of the Soviet Union.

Armenia.
The Supreme Commander-in-Chief is Nikol Pashinyan. A journalist with an incomplete higher education.Didn't serve in the army.
The Minister of Defense is Suren Papikyan. He is a graduate of the Historical Faculty of Yerevan State University. Teacher. However, at least he served in the army.
Deputy Minister - Arman Sargsyan. The Higher School of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia and the Master's degree of the Academy of Public Administration of the Republic of Armenia. Policeman.
Deputy Minister - Karen Brutyan. Yerevan University, tax economist.
It is worth noting here that these people were appointed after a slap received from Azerbaijan. But I must say that their predecessors were no better.
Former Defense Minister David Toloyan is a graduate of the Geological Faculty of YSU, however, he graduated from the Military-Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and worked in the police. His deputies, Gabriel Balayan (lawyer) and Makar Gambaryan (taxman) were a match for the chief.
The exception is the current Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of Armenia, Lieutenant General Artak Davtyan. This is a worthy officer in terms of education and service. Moscow Military Academy, Frunze Academy (with honors), Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (with honors).
In general, the appointments made by Nikol Pashinyan, who is very well versed in military affairs, I am sure, will lead the Armenian army to the next…   Hardly victories. Amateurs always lose to professionals, this is an indisputable fact. The fact that Aliyev's team is completely, if not five times more professional than Pashinyan's team.
But the cadres, who, as you know, solve everything, are only half the case. There are also such things as the technical side and the monetary support of the army's requests.
It is very difficult to assess the potential of both sides, what the republics bought new is more or less known, but what is the case with the inherited - it is not known quite reliably.

It is understandable that Azerbaijan's military budget is much larger than Armenia's. On average, Azerbaijan spent from 5.1% to 5.3% of GDP on defense. Armenia – 4.2-4.4% of GDP, and Armenia's GDP itself is much lower. Averaged - about $ 100 billion.
Again, how to spend. Azerbaijan believes that they have fully equipped their armed forces by about 2010-2012. However, purchases resumed as soon as the smell of another Karabakh war began.
Moreover, Azerbaijan has successfully cooperated in terms of procurement with several suppliers. Barrage ammunition (kamikaze drones), small arms, precision missiles and MLRS systems were supplied by Israel, attack drones and artillery by Turkey, Solcepeks, Msta-S systems, S-300 and Tor-2ME air defense systems by Russia, electronic warfare systems by Belarus.

Many experts believe that Azerbaijan used the released funds more rationally. Moreover, taking into account the experience of waging wars by other countries in the same Middle East.
Armenia also increased the amount of funds that went to the purchase of weapons. The volume of military purchases of Armenia in 2015-2019 increased more than three times compared to purchases in 2009-2014.
The Smerch MLRS, Tor-2MKM SAM, Iskander missile systems, a large number of ATGM and MANPADS were purchased.
There were, however, moments that caused fair criticism. For example, the purchase of four Su-30CM. And in the future, four more planes. The Su-30SM was considered too expensive and redundant to wage war in the conditions of Karabakh. Considering that the Su-30s were delivered in a strike version, that is, fighter-bombers, which somewhat reduced the capabilities of the aircraft as a means of countering Azerbaijan's lighter MiG-29s.
There was even more than a strange acquisition of the Osa-AK air defense system in Jordan. Why was it necessary to buy old Soviet (albeit modernized) complexes, if you can buy the most modern developments in Russia?
Yes, the leaked information about several dozen air defense systems that were sent to Karabakh practically nullified the participation of aviation in the Karabakh conflict on both sides. But such an acquisition looked more than strange.
And Turkey is playing on the side of Azerbaijan. This is a very important aspect, the Turkish military is constantly gaining combat experience, participating both in the operations of the NATO bloc and in their own war with the Kurds.
And within the framework of various joint programs, Turkish officers have been involved in the reform of the army in Azerbaijan for more than twenty years. And, I must say, there are successes.
They worked very hard on the morale and social status of soldiers and officers. According to the model and likeness of the best armies in the world, soldiers were freed from all work. That is, for 18 months conscripts are engaged exclusively in business. Those who have managed to get a higher education, serve for 12 months.
The issues of hazing and non-statutory relations were resolved in a rather peculiar way: a significant expansion of the powers of the military police. The practice of inspections of personnel for non-statutory relations was introduced. And if one was found, then the officers began to have big problems.
The work with the population was also very beautifully staged. We started with schools, especially in rural areas. Massive propaganda of the image of a soldier as a defender of the country. This is a normal practice, but it was implemented very effectively in Azerbaijan, since it was not necessary to go far for heroic examples. The fighting in Karabakh has provided a sufficient number of examples for propaganda.
Among the young officers, they began to identify the most patriotic and ideologically advanced, and introduced the practice of training them in Turkish military institutions.
Actually, the events of 2020 showed the superiority of the Azerbaijani army over… Let's just say that Armenia did not officially participate in the conflict. The fighting was conducted by the armed formations of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, but we are well aware that it is actually one with Armenia.
It turned out that Stepanakert and Yerevan, to put it mildly, did not expect what the Azerbaijani army demonstrated in 2020. And for this unpreparedness, a very high price had to be paid: the territories that were ceded to Azerbaijan.
Today it makes sense to reconsider the situation as a whole, as modernity makes its own adjustments and plans.
Today (I exaggerate) Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan, who so stubbornly sought to turn the country from Russia to Europe, signed a decree on the introduction of Armenian servicemen as peacekeepers in Kazakhstan. Fifty representatives of the Armenian armed forces are involved in establishing peace and order in Kazakhstan.
Yes, the same Nikol Pashinyan, who was badly shaken from side to side at the time. Either he is against the joint air defense of Russia and Armenia, or Russia "cannot be considered a real guarantor of Armenia's security," but the base in Gyumri is good, because it guards the border and protects from the Turks. With whom Pashinyan also wanted to be friends.
It is clear that the fifty people sent by Armenia are nothing. But then it will be proudly said that "We have established peace there." It will, I'm sure.
And if I understand correctly, then in the future Pashinyan will seriously count on being treated the same way. I mean, they will respond to the call when the war for Karabakh starts next time. And it will begin, this story will end only when one of the participating countries finally and irrevocably does not admit defeat.
n 2020, we heard screams from Armenia, very similar to the screams from Kazakhstan of the 2022 sample. Help, save, protect.

Yes, Armenia does not hide the fact that it would be just fine if Russia intervened on the side of an "ally" and recaptured the territories lost by the country from Azerbaijan.

The CSTO does not provide for such actions, because there are no military operations on the territory of Armenia, and the hostilities between the NKR and Azerbaijan are not within the framework of the CSTO. And the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic itself is not recognized primarily by Armenia itself.

But Armenia has no chance to win in the confrontation with Azerbaijan and Turkey. There is too great a difference in the training of the armies of the two countries, in the military budgets and in those who manage these budgets.

Agree, journalists, police officers, historians and economists in the affairs of the army will obviously lose to graduates of military schools and academies.

The story may be continued in connection with the events in Kazakhstan, where the unrest provoked by the government turned into outright pogroms. The situation was corrected, including with the help of the CSTO forces (consider Russia).

It is clear that Azerbaijan (with Turkey behind its back) will not leave the Karabakh issue unsolved. It is also clear that Turkey will do everything possible to encourage the development of the conflict until its logical conclusion (the complete transition of the NKR under the control of Azerbaijan), this is part of the program of the pan-Turkic world. And it is clear that Armenia (especially with such leadership) is simply not able to oppose something intelligible to Turkey and Azerbaijan.
And attempts to use Russia as a means of fighting for Armenian interests will begin again.
This is not about Armenia and Azerbaijan. So much blood has already been shed between these countries that only a miracle can establish peace between them. And, by and large, these are just tools of big politics.
Here we are talking about Turkey, which is trying with all its might to break into the former Soviet space and establish its sphere of influence there. Pan-Turkic.
Time will tell how serious this confrontation between Russia and Turkey will become. How important will Armenia's interests be to Russia, and in general, is this ally worth participating in its affairs, as in the case of Kazakhstan.
In any case, the clash of the Russian and Turkic worlds has already begun. 
Speaking about the topic of the article, we can say only one thing: today Armenia, in the form in which it exists, does not represent much value as an ally and military partner. This does not mean that we should say goodbye to Armenia, no. But the country's leadership is obliged to think about what its armed forces are turning into under the leadership of such specialists as mentioned above. And what prospects open up for the country in the presence of such armed forces.
This is worth thinking about in Russia. We will have to clean up everything again.

[/SPOILER]

Edited January 15, 2022 by Roman Alymov

[glenn239]

Roman - is there any reason for Russia to favor one side over the other in this conflict, or does it just want the conflict to be resolved based on the current facts on the ground?

[Roman Alymov]

2 hours ago, glenn239 said:

Roman - is there any reason for Russia to favor one side over the other in this conflict, or does it just want the conflict to be resolved based on the current facts on the ground?

Please excuse me for directing you to my previous posts about this – not much have changed since then

https://www.tanknet.org/index.php?/topic/41598-armenia-azerbaijan-conflict/&do=findComment&comment=1497451

https://www.tanknet.org/index.php?/topic/41598-armenia-azerbaijan-conflict/&do=findComment&comment=1499235

[AttilaA]

Spike footage. An Armenian T-72 is hit shortly after firing its gun.
 

I noticed that the UI is in Azerbaijani language. “Hündür” stands for hündürlük = height. 
 

https://t.me/military_az/11296

Spike strike on Armenian BMP-2.

https://t.me/military_az/11307

 

[AttilaA]

A new military unit has been commissioned in the liberated territories - Ministry of Defence

TOS-1A

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by AttilaA

[AttilaA]

 

[AttilaA]

Declaration on allied interaction between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation
 

https://azertag.az/en/xeber/Declaration_on_allied_interaction_between_the_Republic_of_Azerbaijan_and_the_Russian_Federation-2024876

Full text in the link.

14. The Parties, taking into account the high level of military-technical cooperation, interact on issues of provision of modern weapons and military equipment, as well as other areas of mutual interest.

15. The Parties intensify efforts to create service centers for maintenance, repair, modernization of weapons and military equipment, as well as organize joint production of various types of military products.

[AttilaA]

Polonez 

 

[seahawk]

Flaring up again.

[AttilaA]

20 hours ago, seahawk said:

Flaring up again.

Because Russia is not fulfilling its part of the ceasefire agreement, which is the withdrawal/disarming of remnants of Armenian army and Armenian armed gangs.

Azerbaijan still demands complete withdrawal/disarmament, so it will get worse as long as Russia ignores that. 
 

This was the statement issued by Azerbaijan MoD to Russian MoD yesterday, quite harsh tone:

 

Statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan regretfully informs that some points of the statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation dated March 27, 2022, do not reflect the reality.

There have been no changes in the positions of the Azerbaijan Army in the Farrukh village and on the surrounding high grounds, which are part of the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.

The information about the retreat of the Azerbaijan Army Units from these positions does not reflect the reality. The Azerbaijan Army completely controls the operational situation.

The information in the statement of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation about the alleged violation of the ceasefire by Azerbaijan also does not reflect the reality and no cases of injuries among Azerbaijani servicemen have been recorded.

We remind once again that there is no administrative and territorial unit called "Nagorno-Karabakh" in the territory of Azerbaijan.

The use of the expression "Nagorno-Karabakh" in the statements of the Russian Ministry of Defense dated March 26 and 27 is disrespectful to the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is recognized and accepted by the international community, including the Russian Federation.  

We remind the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation that Article 1 of the Declaration on Allied Interaction signed by the Presidents of the two countries on February 22, 2022, states that “The Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan build their relations on the basis of allied interaction, mutual respect for independence, state sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the state borders of the two countries, as well as adherence to the principles of non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, peaceful settlement of disputes and non-use of force or threat of force”.

Moreover, in accordance with Article 18 of the Declaration, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan are joining their efforts to combat and neutralize the threats of international terrorism, extremism, and separatism.

The statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense also demonstrates disrespect towards the declaration signed by the President of the Russian Federation, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

The Ministry of Defense reiterates that there is no village called "Furukh" in the Khojaly region of Azerbaijan.  The name of the mentioned village is "FARRUKH".  

We hope that in the following statements the name of the village will be indicated correctly.

 

https://mod.gov.az/en/news/statement-of-the-ministry-of-defense-of-the-republic-of-azerbaijan-39665.html

Edited March 29, 2022 by AttilaA

[AttilaA]

As Azerbaijani MoD rightly notes, the “allied cooperation agreement” signed between Azerbaijan and Russia last momth mentions that both countries recognize each other’s territorial integrity. 
 

So Russia should act accordingly, or openly say that the agreement they signed means nothing and they don’t recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. 

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by AttilaA

[AttilaA]

 

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by AttilaA

[AttilaA]

Training with Igla-S (Azerbaijan acquired 300 launchers + 1500 missiles in 2011-12). 
 

 

[AttilaA]

Unofficial Russian MoD channels shared photos supposedly showing Russian “peacekeepers” in control of Farrukh village after Azerbaijani troops advanced there a week ago. Meanwhile Azerbaijani troops are now situated even beyond the village itself, in heights to its west (I guess not many people are familiar with the geography or the situation, so I should note that Azerbaijani troops were originally situated to east of the village). Control over the heights are much more important anyway, and Azerbaijan has full access to the heights as it can resupply the troops, which means Russian “peacekeepers” cannot possibly control the whole village. 

The photo in the tweet was shared by Azerbaijani MoD on 31 March (no reference was made, but Hamid Khalfaguliyev managed to geolocate the location).

Russian MoD did not respond to the statement of Azerbaijani MoD (I shared above) but went on to share photos of Rus “peacekeepers” in the village on its unofficial telegram channel. Once again, a question arises, why did you sign the “allied cooperation agreement” with Azerbaijan just a month ago if you are rather going to act like an enemy? As Azerbaijani MoD made it very clear, your “peacekeepers” are on Azerbaijani territory. Speaking of violating the ceasefire agreement, the point 4 of the ceasefire agreement says:

“The peacemaking forces of the Russian Federation shall be deployed concurrently with the withdrawal of the Armenian troops.”

Yet there are still remnants of the Armenian army, but also armed gangs calling themselves “artsakh defence army”. No armed groups can exist on sovereign territories of Azerbaijan. This is true for every other country, including Russia.

Edited April 1, 2022 by AttilaA

[AttilaA]

Total of 19 Harop launchers were pictured during Ilham Aliyev’s visit to a new military base in Karabakh few months ago. Could be more of course, but we can say Azerbaijan has at least 19 Harop launchers.

1 launcher has 9 ready to launch Harop LM, so 19 launchers = 171 ready to launch Harop LM.

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by AttilaA

[Daan]

For all the indignant hot air emanating from Baku, it seems Azerbaijan is just exploiting Russia's occupation with its ongoing invasion of Ukraine and its associated troop drawdown in Nagorna-Karabach to acquire additional territory. It is unimaginable that Azerbaijan would have made similar steps prior to Russia's faltering campaign in the Ukraine. 

[AttilaA]

36 minutes ago, Daan said:

For all the indignant hot air emanating from Baku, it seems Azerbaijan is just exploiting Russia's occupation with its ongoing invasion of Ukraine and its associated troop drawdown in Nagorna-Karabach to acquire additional territory. It is unimaginable that Azerbaijan would have made similar steps prior to Russia's faltering campaign in the Ukraine. 

Azerbaijan has demanded from Russia to withdraw/disarm remnants of Armenian army and armed gangs (“artsakh defence army” for quite some time now, before the invasion of Ukraine. What do you think eventually happens when these demands, written in ceasefire agreement, isn’t fulfilled? 

Should not forget that they are on Azerbaijani territory, with Azerbaijan’s consent. Neither do they have a indefinite mandate. As Azerbaijani MoD has described them from day 1: Russian PK contingent temporarily deployed in Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

Here is a conversation between Azerbaijani officer and representative for Russian PKs: 

“They continuously shoot at us from position n.26, and the civilian population has been armed. You are familiar with the (ceaefire) agreement? Your president, Vladimir Putin, has signed it”.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by AttilaA