The Armed Forces of Armenia are not participating in the military operations in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh, Ani Bandalyan, press secretary of Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in response to a statement of Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“In response to the call of the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Armenia and Azerbaijan to “immediately stop military operations, and return to the path of political-diplomatic settlement,” we would like to inform that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia are not participating in the military operations.

The Republic of Armenia has always been committed to resolving all existing issues exclusively through political and diplomatic means, with appropriate proposals,” she said.

Earlier NEWS.am reported that Azerbaijan՛s Armed Forces started to use artillery along the entire line of contact in Nagorno Karabakh as of 1 p.m. on September 19, attempting to penetrate into the depth of the defense line of the Defense Forces of Nagorno Karabakh.

Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, as well as other settlements are under heavy sհelling now. The Human Rights Defender of Nagorno Karabakh, Gegham Stepanyan, reported that there are multiple casualties and injuries among civilians, including children.