In an interview with RFE/RL's Armenian Service, former defense minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan said Armenians need to accept as a basis the information disseminated by the Ministry of Defense of Armenia since that information is the official information and completely embodies all areas.

“Based on my information, the provocation was organized by the leadership of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. This may be linked to, as the Azerbaijanis say, slowness of the negotiations. It may also be linked to the impact on the international community and the domestic political issues in Azerbaijan. You know that Azerbaijan currently has rather serious problems with the economy, decline in oil prices and water supply, and the political opposition is active.

The Azerbaijanis have been trying to have an impact on the Armenian public and the political life in Armenia with such operations throughout the past few years. I believe the Armed Forces of Armenia are completing their tasks at a high level. This is a local clash that our armed forces and public need to be ready for. God forbid that this turns into large-scale military operations, but I believe there are no grounds or data for the launch of large-scale operations. In any case, our army needs to be ready,” he said.