YEREVAN. – The Azerbaijani armed forces have passed to a “strong defense,” for the first time over the past twenty years, said Davit Tonoyan, the First Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia, according to Armtimes.com.

To the observation that the possibility of Azerbaijan launching large-scale military actions during the May victory days for the Armenian nation is actively discussed, and to the query as to whether Azerbaijan would resort to such action, Tonoyan responded: “I can only confirm that the NKR [i.e. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic/Artsakh] Defense Army is ready for any development of the situation, in any direction, and any time. In parallel with the military rhetoric and boasting, the Azerbaijani armed forces have passed to a ‘strong defense,’ in terms of dimension, for the first time over the past twenty years.”