Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: Although they have not yet officially announced that the commander of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], Andrey Volkov, has been dismissed and 66-year-old Colonel General Aleksandr Lentsov, advisor to RF [(Russian Federation)] Defense Minister Shoigu, has been appointed in his place, but the latter [i.e., Lentsov] is in Artsakh for two days already.

We learned from our sources that the negotiations started yesterday in the 3+2 format, with the participation of three representatives from the Russian side: Volkov, Lentsov, and the representative of the Russian PSB, and from the other side: two Azerbaijani officials.

The Armenian side is missing. Some Artsakh sources claim that Lentsov came temporarily to assist, so to speak. If the situation is settled, he can return to Moscow, as the Russian army lacks such specialists today, and the need for the presence of such a specialist in Russia is very great in this period.

During the negotiations, the Russian side will try to get the Azerbaijanis to remove the checkpoint [they have set up on the Hakari bridge at the entrance to the Lachin corridor] and install only X-ray scanner devices.; that is, trucks entering Artsakh will be inspected under the direct supervision of Russian peacekeepers, whereas the Azerbaijani side will monitor the process online.