Azerbaijan aims to capture the most important heights in the territory of Artsakh in order to easily occupy Artsakh in 2025 when a large-scale war begins, Nairi Hokhikyan an expert on regional issues, told journalists today.

According to him, even if the land connection between the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh was changed by the road being built now from Kornidzor to Berdadzor, Mets Shen and Hin Shen villages, the situation would be the same as it is now.

"Since August 1 Azerbaijan has been trying to carry out local attacks in several ways and these local attacks are carried out in long-range battles, using mainly mortars. Intelligence shows that Azerbaijan's forward troops are now armed with light weapons. This shows that Azerbaijan has no tendency and possibility for a large-scale war," Hokhikyan said.

Hokhikyan said that in recent months, a study of Azerbaijan's heavy military equipment has come to the conclusion that Azerbaijan has not yet been able to restore the lost military equipment.

He noted that Azerbaijan had lost more than 75 percent of its heavy military equipment during the 2020 war.

According to Nairi Khokhikyan, on the eve of the meeting between the presidents of Russia and Turkey, Azerbaijan is using the language of blackmail with Turkey's consent.

"Azerbaijan's main goal is the heights on the territory of Artsakh. These days, Azerbaijan seeks to take some important heights. One of them is the Nareshtar hill. Nareshtar is in the west-central part of Artsakh. These same days, Azerbaijanis have tried to seize the Khaterk hill. And yesterday they tried to seize the hill near Yeghtsahogh, which Azerbaijanis call Saribaba. This hill is of great importance, if Azerbaijan seizes this hill, the whole part of the Shusha region will be under their control," he said.

On Monday, starting from 09:00 a.m. in some sectors of the northern and north-western boundary zone of Artsakh Republic the Azerbaijani units made an attempt to cross the line of contact and they were stopped by the Defence Forces. As a result of these provocations from the Armenian side one serviceman of the Armed Forces Albert Bakhshiyan was wounded.

The provocations of the Azerbaijani side in Artsakh continued yesterday from 09:00. The Azerbaijani armed forces roughly violated the ceasefire, opened fire at Armed Forces positions and the permanent location of a military unit, using in addition to small arms of various caliber, mortars, grenade launchers and assault rifles. As a result Gurgen Gabrielian and Artur Khachatryan were killed. Another 19 servicemen were wounded. Measures are being taken to stabilize the situation with the command of Russian servicemen who are on a Russian peacekeeping mission in the Republic of Artsakh. The Defense Army reported today that the operational and tactical situation on the line of contact on the night of August 3 to 4 and as of 09:00 a.m. was relatively stable.

Nikol Pashinyan said at a government meeting today, referring to the situation in Artsakh, that Armenia is ready to provide communications between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan.

"Yes, during this period we are ready to provide this connection even today. It is Azerbaijan that does not use the opportunities provided by us. Even today we are saying that in the order stipulated by the RA legislation, in order, let's cross the Armenian border and go to Azerbaijan," Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan also noted that Azerbaijan uses the issue of the new Lachin corridor route, regarding which there is no trilateral plan at the moment.

"At the moment there is no plan approved by Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in the trilateral format, and we have suggested several times and now suggest doing it, that is to approve the plan in the trilateral format," Pashinyan said.