The European Union (EU) has released a statement in connection with the downing of an Armenian helicopter on the Line of Contact with Azerbaijan. 

“It is essential that all sides show restraint and avoid any actions or statements which could escalate the situation.

“Furthermore, the European Union calls for an investigation into this incident.

“The European Union reiterates its full support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and the three Co-Chairs. Both sides have to strictly respect the ceasefire, to refrain from the use of force or any threat thereof, and to resume efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” the statement reads.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) MOD had informed that an NKR Air Force helicopter was shot at on Wednesday at around 1:45pm, and as a result of ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani armed forces. The helicopter was shot during a training flight in the airspace of the eastern sector of the Karabakh-Azerbaijan border. The location where the helicopter was shot at is very close to the Line of Contact. The adversary, using various-caliber artillery weapons, continues to intensively fire shots toward the scene of the incident.

Three pilots have been killed. The commander of the helicopter was Major Sergey Sahakyan, and the other two military servicemen who lost their lives were Senior Lieutenant Sargis Nazaryan, and Lieutenant Azat Sahakyan.