There is a need to be objective. If it were not for the Russian peacekeeping mission, Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) would have been destroyed a long time ago. Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh, David Babayan, told reporters about this at the National Assembly of Armenia Friday—and responding to the question of how he assesses the actions of the Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh.

"On the other hand, we see that the potential of the peacekeeping mission, which is a direct derivative of its mandate, should be increased. We have voiced our proposals on that subject at various instances. First of all, the number of Russian peacekeepers [in Artsakh] should be increased because 1,980 [such] people are not able to fully fulfill that function. Only a few peacekeepers are stationed at that same part of [Artsakh’s] Shushi [region]. Secondly, they should receive an international mandate. This will mean that in addition to the mandate of a peacekeeper, they will also have the authority to impose peace—as was the case in Kosovo and Bosnia," he said.

And commenting on the reports that the Russian peacekeepers delivered humanitarian aid to Artsakh with cars, Babayan said: "As far as I know, the Russian peacekeepers delivered humanitarian aid to the Shushi region settlements: Mets Shen, Hin Shen [villages] which are currently cut off from [Artsakh capital] Stepanakert and the rest of Artsakh."