Russian military helicopter shot down in Armenia, 2 killed

The Associated Press

4 years ago

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Russia said Monday that one of its military helicopters was shot down in Armenia, near the border with Azerbaijan, killing two servicemen.

The incident occurred near the border with the Azerbaijan exclave of Nakhchivan.

This photo taken from a video released by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, shows Azerbaijan’s national flag with the city of Shushi in the background, in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the strategically important city in Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting with Armenia has raged for over a month. (Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry via AP)

This photo taken from a video released by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, shows a view of Shushi, in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the strategically important city in Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting with Armenia has raged for over a month. (Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry via AP)

This photo taken from a video released by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, shows Shushi castle in Shushi, in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the strategically important city in Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting with Armenia has raged for over a month. (Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry via AP)

This photo taken from a video released by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, shows a view of a street in Shushi, in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the strategically important city in Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting with Armenia has raged for over a month. (Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry via AP)

This photo taken from a video released by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, shows a sign that reads: “Shushi”, in a street in Shushi, in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the strategically important city in Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting with Armenia has raged for over a month. (Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry via AP)

This photo taken from a video released by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, shows Azerbaijan’s national flag fixed to a sign that reads: “Shushi” in Shushi, in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the strategically important city in Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting with Armenia has raged for over a month. (Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry via AP)

This photo taken from a video released by Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020, shows Azerbaijan soldiers standing in formation with Azerbaijan’s national flag on top of a building in Shushi, in the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh. President Ilham Aliyev said Sunday that Azerbaijani forces had taken control of the strategically important city in Nagorno-Karabakh, where fighting with Armenia has raged for over a month. (Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry via AP)

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Armenian and Azerbaijani forces have been fighting for six weeks over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenians since 1994.

Nakhchivan is about 40 miles from Nagorno-Karabakh and it was not clear if the helicopter shootdown was connected with the conflict.

The defense ministry said the helicopter was accompanying a military convoy, but did not clarify the purpose of the convoy. Russia has a large military base in Armenia, but it is about 90 miles from where the helicopter was shot down.

The spokesman for the president of the separatist government in Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday confirmed that Azerbaijani forces have taken control of a strategically key city and said they were nearing the region’s capital.

The statement on Facebook by Vagram Pogosian came a day after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claimed his country’s soldiers had taken Shushi.

The seizure is the most significant military development in the fighting over the territory.

Shushi’s position above the regional capital Stepanakert, which is about 6 miles to the north, gives strategic advantage to whomever holds it. The city also lies along the main road connecting Stepanakert with Armenia.

Long lines of vehicles have jammed the road as Nagorno-Karabakh residents flee the fighting into Armenia.