CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VI (1) Contemporary-Eurasia-VI-1-engl | Página 13

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VI (1)
would acquire Smerch rocket launchers and Solntsepek heavy firing
systems. That might impel the Baku government to launch their
reckless undertaking before the power balance between the conflicting
parties was finally centered 6 . It seems quite possible that Ilham
Aliyev’s plans were approved in advance during the meeting with the
President Erdogan on 16 March 2016 in Ankara. This version is
confirmed by statements of the Turkish government supporting Baku
and criticizing Armenia’s policy that immediately followed the onset
of the military action 7 .
April 2016
On the night of 1 to 2 April 2016, the Azerbaijani reconnaissance
and sabotage groups penetrated beyond the Armenian forward
positions located within the “security area” at several points in order
to cut off the approaching reserves until they are captured by
advanced forces coming from the front line. In the early morning of 2
April 2016, Azerbaijani forces launched their offensive actions;
hostilities broke out along the entire 200 km front line. The Martakert
(northern) and Hadrut (southern) Armenian flanks came under
massive artillery attacks. Concurrently, armored vehicles intended to
step up the attack (219 tanks including T-90 and others) were moving
in the direction of the central Agdam region. The Armenian artillery
opened fire on the attacking troops and areas of concentration of the
Azerbaijani second echelon forces. As a result, on 2-3 April, the
Azerbaijani offensive broke loose several times 19-20 km off the front
line 8 .
The attackers did not manage to break through the Armenian
positions, and, on 4 April 2016, the Azeri Defense Minister instructed
all branches of the armed forces, including missile and artillery troops,
6
For more detail, see: The Noah's Ark, No. 5 (280) May 2016, http://noev-
kovcheg.ru/mag/2016-05/5413.html#ixzz4ClrI75Fl
7
Erdogan supported the activities of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh.
03.04.2016, http://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i_mire/content/201604031118-jo8f. htm;
The Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry brought charges against Armenia.
03.04.2016, http://www.iranonline.ru/all-news/v-mire/28942/
8
Interview with the General V. Balasanyan dated 16.04.2016,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-2B7kd80KM&feature=youtu.be
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