Azerbaijani journalists send appeal to Russian Embassy in Baku

14:52 07 April 2021 Read: 4166

A group of Azerbaijani journalists and bloggers sent an appeal to the Embassy of Russia in Baku.

The appeal reads: “The discovery in Shusha city of the fragments of Russia’s Iskander operational-tactical missile complex is in the spotlight of the Azerbaijani public.

It should be recalled that employees of the Agency for Mine Action of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA) found the fragments of a ballistic missile during the search and disposal of mines and unexploded ordnance in the city of Shusha liberated from the Armenian occupation. Analysis of the identification number (9M723) of the missile revealed that an Iskander-M operational-tactical missile was fired at the city of Shusha. The missile fragments were found on March 15, 2021. However, after a comprehensive expert analysis, the Azerbaijani side announced that these fragments belong to an Iskander-M missile.

Yerevan has repeatedly announced that Armenia had fired Russian-made Iskander missiles at Azerbaijan. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia’s former president Serzh Sargsyan and former chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces Movses Hakobyan made such statements.

Igor Konashenkov, a spokesperson for Russia’s Defense Ministry, categorically denied the use of Iskander missiles in Karabakh. “According to the objective and reliable information that we have, confirmed by the system of objective control, none of the missile systems of this type were used during the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

But now fragments belonging to the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system have been found in Shusha. This modification of the operational-tactical missile system is not allowed to be exported and included in the Russian army’s arsenal.

The discovery of the fragments of Iskander missiles in Shusha was announced on April 2. Both Azerbaijani and foreign media outlets widely covered this issue. However, Russia has not yet officially expressed its clear and unambiguous position on this issue. We are surprised that Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry and other relevant bodies are in no hurry to clarify how an Iskander-M missile was fired at the city of Shusha. Of course, a full and comprehensive investigation of this fact takes time. However, there are no official statements even about its beginning, which causes serious bewilderment and concern of the Azerbaijani public.

We hope that the Russian side will express its official position in the near future and officially announce the start of the investigation.”

The appeal was signed by:

1. Mir Shahin Aghayev, Director of REAL TV

2. Aflatun Amashov, Chairman of the Press Council

3. Rashad Majid, Editor-in-Chief of “525th newspaper”

4. Eynulla Fatullayev, Editor-in-Chief of Haqqın.az

5. Mehriban Mammadova, Director General of AZTV General Programs Studi

6. Orkhan Fikratoglu, independent journalist

7. Elchin Mirzabeyli, Editor-in-Chief of People’s Front newspaper

8. Saadat Mammadova, Advisor to ATV President

9. Hamid Hamidov, journalist, blogger

10. Murad Huseynov, deputy director general of ITV