Azerbaijan is escalating the situation in order to divert the attention of the international and Armenian public from the fact of setting up an illegal checkpoint in the Lachin corridor, making people forget the old one by creating a new crisis in a new place. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stat this at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting of the Armenian government.

"This is the proven tactic of Azerbaijan. They tried to make forget the September [military] aggression [against Armenia] by blocking the Lachin corridor with fake environmental activists, they tried to make forget the humanitarian crisis established in Nagorno-Karabakh by crossing Armenia’s state border in the area of Tegh village, they tried to make forget the violation of the border in Tegh area by setting up a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor, by aggravating the situation in Sotk they are trying to make forget the installation of the illegal checkpoint in the Lachin corridor," the Armenian premier said.

But according to Pashinyan, despite Azerbaijan's aforesaid attempts, all issues remain on the priority agenda of the Armenian government.

"Active communication with the international community on these topics should continue," he said.

Earlier, Armenian News-NEWS.am reported that from 6am Thursday, the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire from artillery and mortars at the Armenian positions located in the direction of Sotk.

The units of Armenia’s Armed Forces are taking corresponding protective and preventive measures.

The Armenian side has four wounded.

As of 10am, the tension in the direction of Sotk has decreased considerably.