The Russian forces stationed as peacekeepers in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region since the end of the war in 2020 are being withdrawn, officials from both countries confirmed on Wednesday. The spokesman for the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, acknowledged the withdrawal but did not provide further details. Hikmet Hajiyev, head of foreign policy in Azerbaijan’s presidential administration, also confirmed the withdrawal, stating that it was a mutually agreed decision. The forces, which numbered around 2,000, were no longer needed as Azerbaijan had regained full control of the region last year.
The Karabakh region had been under the control of ethnic Armenians until the war in 2020, which resulted in Azerbaijan regaining control of parts of the region. Following the war, a Russia-brokered cease-fire called for the deployment of peacekeeping troops to ensure free passage on the road connecting Karabakh with Armenia. However, tensions arose when Azerbaijan accused Armenians of using the road for weapons shipments and smuggling minerals, leading to Azerbaijan blocking the road. The Russian forces stationed in Karabakh did not intervene in the blockade situation.
As a result of the blockade and months of food and medicine shortages in Karabakh, Azerbaijan launched a swift offensive in September 2023 that quickly forced the Karabakh Armenian authorities to surrender after just one day of negotiations mediated by Russian forces. The majority of Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian residents, numbering around 50,000, fled the region in the aftermath of the conflict. The withdrawal of Russian forces from the region comes amid a shifting geopolitical landscape and renewed tensions in the region.
The withdrawal of Russian forces from Karabakh raises questions about the future stability and security of the region, as well as the role of external actors in the conflict. The presence of Russian peacekeepers had been seen as a stabilizing force in the region following the 2020 war, but their withdrawal signals a new phase in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The decision to withdraw the forces was agreed upon by both countries, but the reasons behind the move have not been clearly stated by officials.
The fate of Karabakh and its ethnic Armenian population remains uncertain in the wake of the recent conflict and the withdrawal of Russian forces. The exodus of tens of thousands of residents from the region has left the area in a state of upheaval, with questions lingering about the return of displaced civilians and the reconstruction of the region. The international community will be closely monitoring developments in Karabakh as the situation continues to evolve, with concerns about potential future conflicts and the impact on regional stability. The withdrawal of Russian forces marks a significant shift in the dynamics of the conflict and raises new challenges for all parties involved.
