southfront--2020-11-17--Ukrainian Parliament To Vote On Allowing SBU To Censor Media, But Stop Investigating Corruption

The Ukrainian Parliament ( Verkhovna Rada ) has prepared a large-scale project to reform the Security Service of Ukraine – SBU .
Until now , the SBU was the only power structure that operated under the 1992 law .
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to reform the secret service this spring by submitting an appropriate bill to the Rada .
But the document significantly expanded the functions of the service , which drew criticism from all sides .
Therefore , in the Rada the project was sent for revision .
After several months of work on the document , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the initiator , Zelensky , even disappeared from its “ header ” .
The new project is so different from its predecessor that the head of the SBU himself , Ivan Bakanov , raised the alarm .
The idea of the reform was published back in mid-October .
The website of the Servant of the People party posted a blog by People ’ s Deputy Maryana Bezugla about the reform of the SBU .
She was part of the international leadership program of the US State Department “ Healthcare and Marginalized Populations ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediately before the elections , she was already hired in the Ministry of Defense , where she led the program “ Reform of the medical care system .
Armed Forces ” in the project office of reforms .
In parliament , she entered the National Security Committee .
And it was Bezuglaya who became the head of the group on the development of the draft reform of the Security Service of Ukraine .
The MPs decided that such a reform would be worked out in parliament back in the spring of 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president was submitted to parliament .
Even in the pro-presidential faction , Zelensky was accused of wanting to strengthen the powers of the special service , and therefore it was decided to rewrite his reform .
The SBU is the only law enforcement structure that has never been reformed since its inception .
The special services work in accordance with the law adopted back in 1992 .
It partially duplicates the functions of the police .
And this reform should eliminate this problem , as planned .
In her blog about this reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce the law enforcement functions of the SBU , but create a large counterintelligence service that would counter threats to state security from other countries and groups .
Also , the special service decided to move away from the investigation of economic crimes .
Functionally , the SBU has one strategic goal – to be proactive .
As an example , the deputy noted that the Service should prevent the presence in the country of strategic companies with Russian capital or media platforms affiliated with the aggressor state .
She also noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now is not to catch “ a dangerous gang , ” but to find out whether it is part of a transnational crime group that poses a threat to state security .
Notably , the draft law also includes provisions that are specifically aimed at censorship of media .
The bill gives the SBU an interesting function – to monitor the propaganda of terrorism and separatism on TV and radio .
And to make a presentation on such a TV channel to the National Council – after which he will be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine or go to court to revoke the license .
This legal mechanism will allow the authorities to directly control the media .
Instead of the court deciding whether the media product contains signs of separatism or terrorism , the National Council will be able , upon the recommendation of the SBU , to fine the channel or publication .
In addition , the SBU can initiate restriction of access to any web resource in order to “ prevent an aggravation of the social and political situation.
” As noted by the members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” , such grounds can easily fall , for example , calls to protest or even the publication of a high-profile journalistic investigation .
The head of the National Union of Journalists , Serhiy Tomilenko , said that if the bill is adopted by the Verkhovna Rada , it is highly likely that the Ukrainian special services will crack down on the TV companies they dislike .
It is important that no court decision is even needed that finds a person guilty , and there are also no criteria for how the SBU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions fall within the above reason for his disqualification from participation in the elections .
Therefore , in fact , the SBU will be able to block the political prospects of any nominee .
In short , the SBU are given control over the media , but at the same time can no longer investigate corruption in any form , political or otherwise .
Such changes appeared in the project at the suggestion of the West .
The EU advisory mission and the NATO representation in Ukraine sent a joint letter to parliament @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit the investigative functions of the SBU , primarily in the field of combating economic crimes , smuggling , corruption and organized crime .
The creation of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine is also stalled .
They are trying to create this body instead of the tax police and entrust it with the identification , suppression , investigation and disclosure of criminal offenses in the economic sphere that pose a threat to the vital interests of Ukraine , as well as prevent their commission in the future .
Nothing has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is moving forward full speed .
The supposedly ‘ democratic ’ government of Ukraine continues its totalitarian push destroying the last vestiges of the freedom of speech as well as the religious and political freedoms .
After suffering another rating fall due to its inability to turn into reality election promises , the Zelensky administration opted to continue fighting its main enemies : opposition parties , independent media and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church .
According to the Kiev government , all the current internal problems of Ukraine are a result of ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the anti-Ukrainian policies of the country ’ s own government after 2014 .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Democracy In Action : Ukraine Adopts Law To Send Russians To Internment Camps In Case Of “ Aggression ” • Kiev Regime Pins Hope On Joe Biden In U.S. President Election Standoff

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The Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) has prepared a large-scale project to reform the Security Service of Ukraine – SBU.
Until now, the SBU was the only power structure that operated under the 1992 law.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to reform the secret service this spring by submitting an appropriate bill to the Rada. But the document significantly expanded the functions of the service, which drew criticism from all sides.
Therefore, in the Rada the project was sent for revision. After several months of work on the document, it was rewritten so much that the name of the initiator, Zelensky, even disappeared from its “header”.
The new project is so different from its predecessor that the head of the SBU himself, Ivan Bakanov, raised the alarm.
The idea of the reform was published back in mid-October.
The website of the Servant of the People party posted a blog by People’s Deputy Maryana Bezugla about the reform of the SBU.
She was part of the international leadership program of the US State Department “Healthcare and Marginalized Populations”, which significantly affected her career – immediately before the elections, she was already hired in the Ministry of Defense, where she led the program “Reform of the medical care system. Armed Forces” in the project office of reforms.
In parliament, she entered the National Security Committee. And it was Bezuglaya who became the head of the group on the development of the draft reform of the Security Service of Ukraine.
The MPs decided that such a reform would be worked out in parliament back in the spring of 2020, when a draft SBU reform from the president was submitted to parliament. Even in the pro-presidential faction, Zelensky was accused of wanting to strengthen the powers of the special service, and therefore it was decided to rewrite his reform.
The SBU is the only law enforcement structure that has never been reformed since its inception. The special services work in accordance with the law adopted back in 1992. It partially duplicates the functions of the police. And this reform should eliminate this problem, as planned.
In her blog about this reform, Bezuglaya wrote that it was decided to reduce the law enforcement functions of the SBU, but create a large counterintelligence service that would counter threats to state security from other countries and groups.
Also, the special service decided to move away from the investigation of economic crimes.
Functionally, the SBU has one strategic goal – to be proactive.
“After all, preventing treason or a terrorist attack is much cheaper than eliminating their consequences. Consequently, preventive measures to respond to threats to state security are a priority area of reform,” Bezugloy said in her blog.
As an example, the deputy noted that the Service should prevent the presence in the country of strategic companies with Russian capital or media platforms affiliated with the aggressor state.
“The SBU will become counterintelligence, which will counteract external influences in the economic sphere. In fact, this or that businessman may not carry out an economic crime, even if there is a suspicion. But is he connected with another country, a transnational corporation or a criminal group that harms the state, whether it’s company is a branch of other special services, or uses our officials to push decisions in the interests of another state – then that’s another question altogether. Modern special services in the world are watching, including state property was not transferred to privatization or concession to others.”
She also noted that the main thing for the SBU now is not to catch “a dangerous gang,” but to find out whether it is part of a transnational crime group that poses a threat to state security.
Notably, the draft law also includes provisions that are specifically aimed at censorship of media.
The bill gives the SBU an interesting function – to monitor the propaganda of terrorism and separatism on TV and radio. And to make a presentation on such a TV channel to the National Council – after which he will be able to start checking the media and then either fine or go to court to revoke the license.
This legal mechanism will allow the authorities to directly control the media. Instead of the court deciding whether the media product contains signs of separatism or terrorism, the National Council will be able, upon the recommendation of the SBU, to fine the channel or publication.
In addition, the SBU can initiate restriction of access to any web resource in order to “prevent an aggravation of the social and political situation.” As noted by the members of the coalition “For Free Internet”, such grounds can easily fall, for example, calls to protest or even the publication of a high-profile journalistic investigation.
The head of the National Union of Journalists, Serhiy Tomilenko, said that if the bill is adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, it is highly likely that the Ukrainian special services will crack down on the TV companies they dislike.
“All over the world, the media receive the right to legal protection, to appeal, so that media journalists are not victims of political repression. We want the SBU and all law enforcement agencies to properly fight crimes and criminals, separatism. But there is a great risk of political speculation , therefore, we support the practice of responding to emergencies exclusively through the courts!” emphasized Tomilenko.
It is important that no court decision is even needed that finds a person guilty, and there are also no criteria for how the SBU will assess whether a candidate’s actions fall within the above reason for his disqualification from participation in the elections. Therefore, in fact, the SBU will be able to block the political prospects of any nominee.
“The SBU is empowered to directly intervene in the electoral process and make a proposal to ban / cancel the registration of candidates in elections. The bill does not provide for the procedure for proving the facts of such illegal activity … We call on the people’s deputies of Ukraine not to support the draft law,” a number of public organizations said in a statement , including the representative office of Freedom House in Ukraine and the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.”
In short, the SBU are given control over the media, but at the same time can no longer investigate corruption in any form, political or otherwise.
Such changes appeared in the project at the suggestion of the West. The EU advisory mission and the NATO representation in Ukraine sent a joint letter to parliament in early autumn, urging the MPs to limit the investigative functions of the SBU, primarily in the field of combating economic crimes, smuggling, corruption and organized crime.
“Only the Prosecutor General should have the right to transfer criminal proceedings to the SBU (…) in cases where the crime poses a real and immediate threat to the constitutional system of the state,” the appeal said.
The creation of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine is also stalled. They are trying to create this body instead of the tax police and entrust it with the identification, suppression, investigation and disclosure of criminal offenses in the economic sphere that pose a threat to the vital interests of Ukraine, as well as prevent their commission in the future.
Nothing has happened yet, censorship, however, is moving forward full speed. The supposedly ‘democratic’ government of Ukraine continues its totalitarian push destroying the last vestiges of the freedom of speech as well as the religious and political freedoms. After suffering another rating fall due to its inability to turn into reality election promises, the Zelensky administration opted to continue fighting its main enemies: opposition parties, independent media and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to the Kiev government, all the current internal problems of Ukraine are a result of ‘destructive actions’ of these forces rather than the anti-Ukrainian policies of the country’s own government after 2014.
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southfront--2020-11-17--Russian Peacekeepers Open Lachin Corridor Post, Equipment Deliveries Continue

On November 17th , the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation continued transfering Russian peacekeepers to the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , military helicopters provide air cover on the routes of the convoys , the military department reports .
“ During the day , from the Ulyanovsk ” Vostochny “ airfield , the Il-76 and An-124 military transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed 22 delivery flights with additional equipment for material and technical support , ” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement released on November 17th .
According to the ministry , “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airfields of the city of Yerevan , after being unloaded from the aircraft , are formed into columns for marches to Nagorno-Karabakh.
” “ On the routes of the convoys , they are covered from the air by Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters , ” the press release said .
Earlier it was reported that to control the ceasefire and hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , a peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in the amount of 1,960 military personnel , 90 armored personnel carriers , 380 units of automobile and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ core of the Russian contingent is made up of units of the 15th peacekeeping motorized rifle brigade of the Central Military District .
The photos below show that the Il-76 aircraft of the military transport aviation of the Aerospace Forces of Russia carry out the transfer from the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airfield to Nagorno-Karabakh of military personnel , special equipment and equipment of the engineer-sapper unit of the peacekeeping brigade of the Central Military District .
In the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , sappers will carry out tasks for engineering reconnaissance , demining of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition , they will provide preparation and maintenance of supply and evacuation routes , water purification and other engineering support tasks .
Service dogs will be used to detect and search for explosive objects .
The video below shows something surprising : Military personnel from Azerbaijan and Armenia , Russian peacekeepers and rescuers , as well as workers of the Red Cross are standing and talking at the same Russian peacekeeping post .
Everything appears to be civil and constructive .
The video shows the post near Shusho in the Lachin corridor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karabakh .
It is officially open as of November 17th .
Meanwhile , not everything is going without a hitch .
Prior to November 15th , videos were shown of Armenians burning their houses in Kelbajar , since the area needs to be surrendered to Azerbaijan .
In turn , Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev requested compensation from Armenia for the destroyed homes .
It is , however , unlikely that any compensation would be provided by citizens who willingly destroyed the homes they own , refusing to provide them to “ the enemy @ @

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On November 17th, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation continued transfering Russian peacekeepers to the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, military helicopters provide air cover on the routes of the convoys, the military department reports.
“During the day, from the Ulyanovsk” Vostochny “airfield, the Il-76 and An-124 military transport aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces performed 22 delivery flights with additional equipment for material and technical support,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement released on November 17th. According to the ministry, “the personnel and military equipment arriving at the airfields of the city of Yerevan, after being unloaded from the aircraft, are formed into columns for marches to Nagorno-Karabakh.” “On the routes of the convoys, they are covered from the air by Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters,” the press release said.
Earlier it was reported that to control the ceasefire and hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in the amount of 1,960 military personnel, 90 armored personnel carriers, 380 units of automobile and special equipment is being deployed.
The core of the Russian contingent is made up of units of the 15th peacekeeping motorized rifle brigade of the Central Military District.
The photos below show that the Il-76 aircraft of the military transport aviation of the Aerospace Forces of Russia carry out the transfer from the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airfield to Nagorno-Karabakh of military personnel, special equipment and equipment of the engineer-sapper unit of the peacekeeping brigade of the Central Military District.
In the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, sappers will carry out tasks for engineering reconnaissance, demining of terrain, roads and objects. In addition, they will provide preparation and maintenance of supply and evacuation routes, water purification and other engineering support tasks. Service dogs will be used to detect and search for explosive objects.
The video below shows something surprising:
Military personnel from Azerbaijan and Armenia, Russian peacekeepers and rescuers, as well as workers of the Red Cross are standing and talking at the same Russian peacekeeping post. Everything appears to be civil and constructive.
The video shows the post near Shusho in the Lachin corridor, which is the route between Armenia and Karabakh. It is officially open as of November 17th.
Meanwhile, not everything is going without a hitch.
Prior to November 15th, videos were shown of Armenians burning their houses in Kelbajar, since the area needs to be surrendered to Azerbaijan.
In turn, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev requested compensation from Armenia for the destroyed homes. It is, however, unlikely that any compensation would be provided by citizens who willingly destroyed the homes they own, refusing to provide them to “the enemy.”
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southfront--2020-11-17--“No, This Is Trump”: Georgia Recount Auditor Claims Multiple Trump Ballots Fraudulently Called For B

“No, This Is Trump”: Georgia Recount Auditor Claims Multiple Trump Ballots Fraudulently Called For Biden

A GOP recount observer in Georgia claims that several ballots recorded as Biden were actually votes for Trump , and workers conducting the recount became angry when he reported what was happening to elections officials .
The insider told , “ The second person was supposed to be checking it right , three times in three minutes she called out Biden , ” adding “ The second auditor caught it and she said , “ No , this is Trump.
” ” “ Now , that ’ s just while I ’ m standing there .
So , does the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But this lady in three times in three minutes from 2:09 to 2:12 she got three wrong.
” ” he continued , adding “ They were calling their bosses .
They were pointing at me… ” Earlier in the day , Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger hit back against claims that he facilitated an unfair , illegal ballot count .
He ’ s also been accused of trying to skip the manual recount altogether , and initially “ wanted to just rescan the bar codes & be done with it.
” MORE @ @ @ @

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Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
A GOP recount observer in Georgia claims that several ballots recorded as Biden were actually votes for Trump, and workers conducting the recount became angry when he reported what was happening to elections officials.
The insider told Project Veritas, “The second person was supposed to be checking it right, three times in three minutes she called out Biden,” adding “The second auditor caught it and she said, “No, this is Trump.””
“Now, that’s just while I’m standing there. So, does the second checker catch it every time? But this lady in three times in three minutes from 2:09 to 2:12 she got three wrong.”” he continued, adding “They were calling their bosses. They were pointing at me…”
Watch:
BREAKING: Georgia Recount Auditors Call Multiple Ballots For @JoeBiden That Were Actually Marked For @realDonaldTrump “The second person was supposed to be checking it right, three times in three minutes she called out Biden.”#RiggedRecounts pic.twitter.com/ldvbCXXn0b — James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) November 16, 2020
Earlier in the day, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger hit back against claims that he facilitated an unfair, illegal ballot count. He’s also been accused of trying to skip the manual recount altogether, and initially “wanted to just rescan the bar codes & be done with it.”
BREAKING: Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger initially did not want to order a hand recount but "wanted to just rescan the bar codes & be done with it," said a source who discussed the recount w him. Under the state's new Dominion system, ballots r embedded in QR codes — Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) November 16, 2020
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southfront--2020-11-17--Globalist Propaganda Over Ukraine Church Crisis Reaches New Level

The Patriarchate of Constantinople continues its propaganda efforst to justify its project of the so-called Orthodox Church of Ukraine , a pseudo-church organization established on the territory of Ukraine wiith the aim of fighting the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church ( Moscow Patriarchate ) and promoting the globalist agenda .
Constantinople-controlled structures issues a propaganda book promoting its political adventure in Ukraine .
The book , published by Pantocrator Monastery on Mt .
Athos , is being actively translated to various languages and distributed among clergy , teachers and students , public figures close to the Church , and journalists covering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moscow Patriarchate for the Church crisis in Ukraine and accuses it of creating the schism there in the early 1990s .
The Patriarchate of Constantinople , with the support from the Washington establishment and neo-liberals , pretends that the current church crisis in Ukraine is the matter of religious freedom .
They in fact support the presecutions of the followers of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church ( Moscow Patriarchate ) and claims that Ukrainians can not be free if they worship in its churches despite the fact that a majority of Ukrainians associate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , Constantinople , the Kiev government and their Western sponsors use the ‘ independent ’ Ukrainain church as a tool of promoting their own agenda in the country as a part of the wider strategy of dismantling the conservative societies of Eastern Europe .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Globalist Puppet Patriarch Bartholomew Claims He Should Have ‘ Special Powers ’ In Orthodox World • Cypriot Orthodox Church Riots Against Its Leader Over Ukraine Question

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The Patriarchate of Constantinople continues its propaganda efforst to justify its project of the so-called Orthodox Church of Ukraine, a pseudo-church organization established on the territory of Ukraine wiith the aim of fighting the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and promoting the globalist agenda.
Constantinople-controlled structures issues a propaganda book promoting its political adventure in Ukraine. The book, published by Pantocrator Monastery on Mt. Athos, is being actively translated to various languages and distributed among clergy, teachers and students, public figures close to the Church, and journalists covering Church questions. The book blames the Moscow Patriarchate for the Church crisis in Ukraine and accuses it of creating the schism there in the early 1990s.
The Patriarchate of Constantinople, with the support from the Washington establishment and neo-liberals, pretends that the current church crisis in Ukraine is the matter of religious freedom. They in fact support the presecutions of the followers of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and claims that Ukrainians cannot be free if they worship in its churches despite the fact that a majority of Ukrainians associate themselves with the canonical church.
In fact, Constantinople, the Kiev government and their Western sponsors use the ‘independent’ Ukrainain church as a tool of promoting their own agenda in the country as a part of the wider strategy of dismantling the conservative societies of Eastern Europe.
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southfront--2020-11-17--Russian Karabakh And Other Consequences Of Armenian-Azerbaijani War

Results of the Nagorno-Karabakh war continue shaping the balance of power of the South Caucasus .
The ceasefire regime established as a result of the Russian diplomatic intervention and the deployment of the Russian peacekeeping force in the region nears the end of its first week .
As the outcome of the war , Azerbaijan achieved an important victory over Armenian forces and seized the symbolic Armenian stronghold of Shusha .
Baku and Yerevan also reached an agreement that is set to allow Azerbaijan to return districts lost during the first Karabakh war excluding the Lachin corridor as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s mainland and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic , a landlocked Azerbaijani exclave bordering Armenia , Turkey and Iran .
The latest development is in fact even more important for Azerbaijani national interests than any propaganda achievements in the war with the Armenians .
This will not only allow to finally establish a ground link between the main territory Azerbaijan and the country ’ s autonomous region , but also strengthen economic and cultural cooperation with Turkey , a traditional Azerbaijani ally .
Ankara , together with Israeli weapon suppliers , played an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing its forces with weapons , ammunition , intelligence and military advisers and specialists that helped to plan and turn into reality the Karabakh advance .
For years , Turkey has been employing the “ two states , one nation ” concept in its relations with Azerbaijan as a part of the wider claim to be the formal , military and spiritual leader of the so-called Turkic world and the Muslims in the Greater Middle East and Central Asia in general .
Recep Tayyip Erdogan , who sees himself as the Sultan of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hide Turkish plans to annex territories of northern Syria and northern Iraq , where Ankara already has a permanent military presence .
Azerbaijan is seen by Erdogan and his circle as a logical and important part of this Greater Turkey project with a particular autonomy .
Therefore , the Turkish military presence in Azerbaijan and the further expansion of the economic , political and cultural links between the countries is a logical step in this plan .
During the past years , Ankara has repeatedly announced the plans to build a new railway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparations for the implementation of this project will likely reach their finishing straight .
At the same time , there are some factors often ignored by pro-Turkish analysts boasting about the great Neo-Ottoman victory in Karabakh .
First of all , the control over the so desired by Turkey ground link with Azerbaijan will be in the hands of the Russians under the Moscow-brokered deal between Baku and Yerevan .
The control over the transport link between Nakhchivan and the Azerbaijani mainland will be exercised by the Border Service of the Russian Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , the Russian peacekeeping force will also control the corridor between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia , and a large part of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh , including the largest regional city Stepanakert .
Russian forces supported by combat helicopters , electronic warfare systems , BTR-80A armoured personnel carriers and various armoured vehicles of other types already established 25 observation points ( 18 permanent and 7 temporary ) in the region .
One of the posts is in fact located at the gates of Shusha .
Additionally to the 1960-strong contingent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gathering center , in other words a temporary military base , in the Armenian city of Goris , near the border .
Battle tanks and multiple rocket launching systems spotted in the area indicate that the operation there involves additional means and forces .
Moscow is also creating a special humanitarian center for Karabakh .
The center will be controlled by Russia and overseen by the FSB thus cutting off the possibility of looting of humanitarian aid for the region .
Taking into account the deep crisis of the current pro-Western Armenian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still hiding in some basement in Yerevan , the control over Nagorno-Karabakh territories , which should not been returned to Azerbaijan as the part of the November 10 deal , has been in fact transferred to Russia .
Now , Russia has officially established a military presence on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan for the next 5 years .
This term also can be prolonged under the existing deal .
This unprecedented development for the modern South Caucasus caused little happiness in Ankara causing the Turkish attempt to promote the idea of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ to the combat zone .
However , all what it achieved was the draft plan for the creation of a joint Russian-Turkish ceasefire monitoring center on the territory of Azerbaijan .
According to the Russian foreign minister , the center will be located in the part of the territory that is not close to Karabakh and no field missions are planned .
The posture of Azerbaijan , which did not support the Turkish field deployment in Karabakh , in this unfortunate situation for Ankara became an unpleasant surprise for Turkish commentators .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by shifting the schedule of the Armenian withdrawal from the contested region .
Under the initial deal , the Kalbajar district was set to be transferred to Azerbaijan by November 15 , a top aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that the deadline was extended till November 25 .
These steps show the readiness of the Azerbaijani side for the constructive actions in the framework of the existing Yerevan-Moscow-Baku format .
Summing up , it seems that Mr. Aliyev is not going to pay back by turning Azerbaijan into the province of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this case , the closer cooperation with Russia , which is also an important economic and security partner of Azerbaijan , is an apparent solution .

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Results of the Nagorno-Karabakh war continue shaping the balance of power of the South Caucasus. The ceasefire regime established as a result of the Russian diplomatic intervention and the deployment of the Russian peacekeeping force in the region nears the end of its first week.
As the outcome of the war, Azerbaijan achieved an important victory over Armenian forces and seized the symbolic Armenian stronghold of Shusha. Baku and Yerevan also reached an agreement that is set to allow Azerbaijan to return districts lost during the first Karabakh war excluding the Lachin corridor as well as finally establish a transport link between Azerbaijan’s mainland and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, a landlocked Azerbaijani exclave bordering Armenia, Turkey and Iran. The latest development is in fact even more important for Azerbaijani national interests than any propaganda achievements in the war with the Armenians. This will not only allow to finally establish a ground link between the main territory Azerbaijan and the country’s autonomous region, but also strengthen economic and cultural cooperation with Turkey, a traditional Azerbaijani ally. Ankara, together with Israeli weapon suppliers, played an important role in the Azerbaijani victory through providing its forces with weapons, ammunition, intelligence and military advisers and specialists that helped to plan and turn into reality the Karabakh advance.
For years, Turkey has been employing the “two states, one nation” concept in its relations with Azerbaijan as a part of the wider claim to be the formal, military and spiritual leader of the so-called Turkic world and the Muslims in the Greater Middle East and Central Asia in general. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who sees himself as the Sultan of the New Neo-Ottoman Empire, does not hide Turkish plans to annex territories of northern Syria and northern Iraq, where Ankara already has a permanent military presence. Azerbaijan is seen by Erdogan and his circle as a logical and important part of this Greater Turkey project with a particular autonomy. Therefore, the Turkish military presence in Azerbaijan and the further expansion of the economic, political and cultural links between the countries is a logical step in this plan. During the past years, Ankara has repeatedly announced the plans to build a new railway road to Nakhchivan. Now, the preparations for the implementation of this project will likely reach their finishing straight.
At the same time, there are some factors often ignored by pro-Turkish analysts boasting about the great Neo-Ottoman victory in Karabakh. First of all, the control over the so desired by Turkey ground link with Azerbaijan will be in the hands of the Russians under the Moscow-brokered deal between Baku and Yerevan. The control over the transport link between Nakhchivan and the Azerbaijani mainland will be exercised by the Border Service of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). At the same time, the Russian peacekeeping force will also control the corridor between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, and a large part of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the largest regional city Stepanakert.
Russian forces supported by combat helicopters, electronic warfare systems, BTR-80A armoured personnel carriers and various armoured vehicles of other types already established 25 observation points (18 permanent and 7 temporary) in the region. One of the posts is in fact located at the gates of Shusha. Additionally to the 1960-strong contingent in Karabakh, the Russian military also created a gathering center, in other words a temporary military base, in the Armenian city of Goris, near the border. Battle tanks and multiple rocket launching systems spotted in the area indicate that the operation there involves additional means and forces. Moscow is also creating a special humanitarian center for Karabakh. The center will be controlled by Russia and overseen by the FSB thus cutting off the possibility of looting of humanitarian aid for the region.
Taking into account the deep crisis of the current pro-Western Armenian government, led by Nikol Pashinyan who is still hiding in some basement in Yerevan, the control over Nagorno-Karabakh territories, which should not been returned to Azerbaijan as the part of the November 10 deal, has been in fact transferred to Russia.
Now, Russia has officially established a military presence on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan for the next 5 years. This term also can be prolonged under the existing deal. This unprecedented development for the modern South Caucasus caused little happiness in Ankara causing the Turkish attempt to promote the idea of the deployment of some ‘Turkish peacekeepers’ to the combat zone. However, all what it achieved was the draft plan for the creation of a joint Russian-Turkish ceasefire monitoring center on the territory of Azerbaijan. According to the Russian foreign minister, the center will be located in the part of the territory that is not close to Karabakh and no field missions are planned. The posture of Azerbaijan, which did not support the Turkish field deployment in Karabakh, in this unfortunate situation for Ankara became an unpleasant surprise for Turkish commentators.
Furthermore, Baku demonstrated an unexpected softness by shifting the schedule of the Armenian withdrawal from the contested region. Under the initial deal, the Kalbajar district was set to be transferred to Azerbaijan by November 15, a top aide to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that the deadline was extended till November 25. These steps show the readiness of the Azerbaijani side for the constructive actions in the framework of the existing Yerevan-Moscow-Baku format. Summing up, it seems that Mr. Aliyev is not going to pay back by turning Azerbaijan into the province of Erdogan’s Neo-Ottoman Empire. In this case, the closer cooperation with Russia, which is also an important economic and security partner of Azerbaijan, is an apparent solution.
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southfront--2020-11-17--Military Situation In Afghanistan On November 16, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan : • On November 16 @ @ @ @ @ were wounded by an explosion of magnetic bomb placed under an ANSF vehicle in the @ @ @ @ @ • On November 16 , Taliban forces captured a bazaar in the Dasht-e-Archi district .
@ @ @ @ @ deployed to the area to clear it from the Taliban .
Clashes are ongoing ; @ @ @ @ @ a person was killed in an IED explosion in the Yaka Bergh area of Sheberghan @ @ @ @ @ 15 , a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior stated that at least 134 civilians @ @ @ @ @ – wounded in Taliban suicide and bomb attacks in the past 25 days ; • @ @ @ @ @ and Afghan deputy foreign ministers declared the goal of finalizing the comprehensive document of strategic @ @ @ @ @ .
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A brief overview of the recent developments in Afghanistan:
On November 16, at least two civilians were wounded by an explosion of magnetic bomb placed under an ANSF vehicle in the PD3 of Kabul city;
On November 16, Taliban forces captured a bazaar in the Dasht-e-Archi district. Tthe Afghan MoD said commandos deployed to the area to clear it from the Taliban. Clashes are ongoing;
On November 16, a person was killed in an IED explosion in the Yaka Bergh area of Sheberghan city;
On November 15, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior stated that at least 134 civilians were killed and 289 others – wounded in Taliban suicide and bomb attacks in the past 25 days;
On November 15, Iranian and Afghan deputy foreign ministers declared the goal of finalizing the comprehensive document of strategic cooperation as soon as possible.
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southfront--2020-11-17--Nikol ‘The Basement’ Pashinyan Strikes Back, Blames Previous Governments And Armenian Nation For Def

Nikol ‘The Basement’ Pashinyan Strikes Back, Blames Previous Governments And Armenian Nation For Defeat In Nagorno-Karabakh War

On November 16 , the still prime minister of Armenia , Nikol Pashinyan , left the basement where he was hiding for the last week and met with representatives of his own party to once again try to explain how and why Armenian forces lost the war in Nagorno-Karabakh .
Expectedly , the mighty Armenian prime minister found who is guilty .
According to him , these are the previous governments and the Armenian nation .
Pashinyan claimed that he ’ s allegedly ready to claim responsibility , but ‘ before this ’ he demanded responses to ‘ his questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the society must respond why it lived by the values of personal enrichment and why the purpose of public service was to plunder the budget and build new mansions instead of joining and promoting the military service .
At the same time , in table speeches , with glasses in hand , everyone said that the state was above everything , and they drank to the health of the soldiers standing up .
He complained that 2.5 years of his rule was not enough to correct all , but everything possible has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech , the bright and genius prime minister of Armenia that led the country to its largest failure in the 21th century demonstrated that he is not going to surrender the power in a peaceful way .
He also rejected demands to lift the martial law regime in the country .
Somehow , the brilliant explanations of the pro-Western Armenian government found little understanding among protesters on the streets .
The Pashinyan clique seized the power as a result of the unconstitutional coup in 2018 and in less than 3 years undermined positions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the level when Azerbaijan gained an opportunity to launch and complete the successful military operation in Armenia .
It also appeared to be unable to defend its zone of control in Nagorno-Karabakh during the war and thousands of Armenians were killed and injured for nothing .
The total defeat in Karabakh was avoided only thanks to the Russian diplomatic intervention , peacekeepers deployment and the Azerbaijani readiness for the constructive dialogue in the created conditions .
Despite this , Pashniyan and his circle continue searching somebody to blame for their own failures and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ mysterious democratic values ’ and ‘ European path ’ , they will continue hold onto power .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Russians Got Situation Under Control In Nagorno-Karabakh .
25 Posts Deployed .
Demining Of Lachin Corridor Started • In Video : Azerbaijani President Visists Fuzuli District Captured From Armenians During Second Karabakh War

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On November 16, the still prime minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, left the basement where he was hiding for the last week and met with representatives of his own party to once again try to explain how and why Armenian forces lost the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Expectedly, the mighty Armenian prime minister found who is guilty. According to him, these are the previous governments and the Armenian nation.
Pashinyan claimed that he’s allegedly ready to claim responsibility, but ‘before this’ he demanded responses to ‘his questions’.
“First of all, I will be responsible for whatever happened during the past 30 years and accept any decision of the people without a murmur. But I want to hear answers to my questions,” Pashinyan added.
In particular, he said, the society must respond why it lived by the values of personal enrichment and why the purpose of public service was to plunder the budget and build new mansions instead of joining and promoting the military service. At the same time, in table speeches, with glasses in hand, everyone said that the state was above everything, and they drank to the health of the soldiers standing up.
“When people lived by values about what to steal from the budget, not paying taxes is not a sin, but dexterity, did you think that all this will not remain without consequences?” He asked.
He complained that 2.5 years of his rule was not enough to correct all, but everything possible has been done for this.
By this speech, the bright and genius prime minister of Armenia that led the country to its largest failure in the 21th century demonstrated that he is not going to surrender the power in a peaceful way. He also rejected demands to lift the martial law regime in the country.
Somehow, the brilliant explanations of the pro-Western Armenian government found little understanding among protesters on the streets.
Protesters now heading towards the RA General Prosecutor's office chanting "Nikol leave, Nikol traitor." pic.twitter.com/he5iO7XGAa — 301?? (@301_AD) November 16, 2020
The Pashinyan clique seized the power as a result of the unconstitutional coup in 2018 and in less than 3 years undermined positions of the country in the region to the level when Azerbaijan gained an opportunity to launch and complete the successful military operation in Armenia. It also appeared to be unable to defend its zone of control in Nagorno-Karabakh during the war and thousands of Armenians were killed and injured for nothing. The total defeat in Karabakh was avoided only thanks to the Russian diplomatic intervention, peacekeepers deployment and the Azerbaijani readiness for the constructive dialogue in the created conditions.
Despite this, Pashniyan and his circle continue searching somebody to blame for their own failures and demonstrate that, hiding behind claims about ‘mysterious democratic values’ and ‘European path’, they will continue hold onto power.
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southfront--2020-11-17--Russians Got Situation Under Control In Nagorno-Karabakh. 25 Posts Deployed. Demining Of Lachin Corr

Russians Got Situation Under Control In Nagorno-Karabakh. 25 Posts Deployed. Demining Of Lachin Corridor Started

The Russian peacekeeping force continues the deployment in the Nagorno-Karabakh region , the country ’ s defense ministry reported on November 16 .
“ In the areas of the peacekeeping operation along the contact line of the sides , the deployment of observation posts of the Russian peacekeeping forces has been completed , which are monitoring the situation around the clock .
Control over the observance of the ceasefire regime is carried out by peacekeeping units at nine observation posts in the southern zone of responsibility and nine more in the northern .
In the Lachin corridor ( along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zarysly ) there are seven temporary observation posts that ensure the passage of military columns of peacekeeping units .
The ceasefire is observed along the entire contact line , ” the defense ministry reported in a statement on its website .
Currently , the Russian military has 25 observation points in the contested region .
Forces of the Russian peacekeeping arrive in Yerevan : During the day , planes of the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered 58 pieces of equipment to Armenia – armored personnel carriers , off-road trucks , tank trucks , excavators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment pieces will be used as a part of the peacekeeping force in Karabakh .
The peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone will include 1,960 servicemen , 90 armored personnel carriers , 380 units of automobile and special equipment .
This force will be supported by 8 Mi-8 and Mi-24 military helicopters .
Russian forces have also started demining and cleaning the area of the Lachin corridor from explosive objects .
According to the Russian side , on November 16 , “ 1 km of the Stepanakert-Goris road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of broken and damaged vehicles were removed from the carriageway and roadsides.
” Russian forces remove damaged vehicles from roads and help to restore the social infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh : MORE ON THE TOPIC : • In Video : Azerbaijani President Visists Fuzuli District Captured From Armenians During Second Karabakh War • Erdogan Requests Parliament Approval For Deployment Of Troops For Karabakh Ceasefire Monitoring Center • Erdogan Is Not Going To Withdraw Syrian Militants From Karabakh – Monitoring Group

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The Russian peacekeeping force continues the deployment in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the country’s defense ministry reported on November 16.
“In the areas of the peacekeeping operation along the contact line of the sides, the deployment of observation posts of the Russian peacekeeping forces has been completed, which are monitoring the situation around the clock. Control over the observance of the ceasefire regime is carried out by peacekeeping units at nine observation posts in the southern zone of responsibility and nine more in the northern. In the Lachin corridor (along the road Zabukh – Lysogorsky state farm – Zarysly) there are seven temporary observation posts that ensure the passage of military columns of peacekeeping units. The ceasefire is observed along the entire contact line,” the defense ministry reported in a statement on its website.
Currently, the Russian military has 25 observation points in the contested region.
Forces of the Russian peacekeeping arrive in Yerevan:
During the day, planes of the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered 58 pieces of equipment to Armenia – armored personnel carriers, off-road trucks, tank trucks, excavators, and other logistics equipment. These equipment pieces will be used as a part of the peacekeeping force in Karabakh.
The peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone will include 1,960 servicemen, 90 armored personnel carriers, 380 units of automobile and special equipment. This force will be supported by 8 Mi-8 and Mi-24 military helicopters.
Russian forces have also started demining and cleaning the area of the Lachin corridor from explosive objects. According to the Russian side, on November 16, “1 km of the Stepanakert-Goris road was examined and cleared, 27 pieces of broken and damaged vehicles were removed from the carriageway and roadsides.”
Russian forces remove damaged vehicles from roads and help to restore the social infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh:
Displaced civilians return to Stepanakert:
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southfront--2020-11-17--US Announces Partial Withdrawal Of Troops From Afghanistan And Iraq

On November 17 , Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller announced that the US will withdraw 500 troops from Iraq @ @ @ @ @ January 15 , 2021 .
“ I celebrate this day as we continue the president @ @ @ @ @ completing the mission we began two decades ago , ” Miller said .
According to @ @ @ @ @ a “ collaborative ” one between Trump and senior US military leaders .
Miller added @ @ @ @ @ are still “ ongoing.
” Earlier , Washington signed an agreement with the Taliban promising @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan by mid-2021 if they upheld agreed-upon counterterrorism measures .
As a result Taliban forces @ @ @ @ @ in Afghanistan .
However , the final deal is yet to be reached .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ Taliban and the US-backed Kabul government has not been reached and the group has been @ @ @ @ @ government forces in several regions .
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On November 17, Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller announced that the US will withdraw 500 troops from Iraq and 2,000 from Afghanistan before January 15, 2021.
“I celebrate this day as we continue the president’s consistent progress in completing the mission we began two decades ago,” Miller said. According to him, the decision was a “collaborative” one between Trump and senior US military leaders.
Miller added that negotiations with the Taliban are still “ongoing.” Earlier, Washington signed an agreement with the Taliban promising a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by mid-2021 if they upheld agreed-upon counterterrorism measures. As a result Taliban forces halted attacks on US troops in Afghanistan. However, the final deal is yet to be reached.
Meanwhile, the peace between the Taliban and the US-backed Kabul government has not been reached and the group has been developing advance on positions of government forces in several regions.
LIVE: Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller speaks to reporters at the Pentagon https://t.co/qd6KNq53fP — Department of Defense ?? (@DeptofDefense) November 17, 2020
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southfront--2020-11-17--Karabakh War Could Be Stopped Weeks Before Fall Of Shusha, But Pashinyan Was Refusing To Accept Russ

Karabakh War Could Be Stopped Weeks Before Fall Of Shusha, But Pashinyan Was Refusing To Accept Russian Peacekeepers: Putin

On November 17 , Russian President Vladimir Putin held a kind of press-conference answering media questions regarding the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Azerbaijani-Armenian negotiations .
Comments of the Russian president provide a great insight into the diplomatic background of the Karabakh war and the posture of the pro-Western government of Armenia , led by Soros-produced Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan .
According to the Russian president , “ the most important achievement was stopping the bloodshed.
” “ I have already said that according to official figures alone , over 4,000 people have died .
I think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tens of thousands are wounded and mutilated .
Look , this is not a movie .
This is a tragedy that has befallen real people , real families .
Therefore , stopping the bloodshed is the main result .
However , to understand what is happening we will still have to go back into history , literally in a few words .
I have to recall that it all started in the already remote year of 1988 , when ethnic clashes took place in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgayit .
Armenian civilians fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it spread to Nagorno-Karabakh .
And since the Soviet Union ’ s leaders did not react duly to these events… let me say it again : these are sensitive issues , and I do not want to side with anyone or decide who was right or wrong .
It is no longer possible to determine this now , but it was necessary to put things in order and protect civilians , and this was not done .
At that point , the Armenians themselves took up arms , and this protracted conflict , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke out .
Eventually , it led to a declaration of independence , sovereignty and self-reliance by Karabakh in 1991 .
The Bishkek agreements were signed in 1994 and this Bishkek memorandum stopped the hostilities at that time .
What happened as a result ?
Karabakh declared independence , as I have said , and another seven adjacent regions came under the control of the Armenians , that is , Armenia .
This is basically what we inherited from the past and this is the problem we had to resolve .
I believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , importantly , the parties agreed to unblock the roads and to restore economic ties is critically important and creates a good basis for normalising relations for the long term , ” Putin said .
The Russian president also revealed that the hostilities in Karabakh may have been stopped weeks ago ( in October , before the full collapse of the Armenian defense and the fall of the key stronghold of Susha ) , but Pashinyan was refusing to accept Russian peacekeepers in the region and allow displaced Azerbaijani people to return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On October 19-20 , I had a series of telephone conversations with both President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan .
And then the Azerbaijani armed forces regained control over an insignificant southern part of Karabakh .
In general , I managed to convince President Aliyev that it is needed to stop hostilities , but a mandatory condition on his part was the return of refugees , including to the city of Shusha , ” Putin said .
“ But unexpectedly for me , the position of our Armenian partners was formulated in such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , and Prime Minister Pashinyan told me directly that he sees this as a threat to the interests of Armenia and Karabakh.
“ “ Bearing in mind that the return of civilians was supposed , while maintaining control on the part of the Armenian side over this part of the territory of Karabakh , including Shusha , and bearing in mind the presence of our peacekeepers , about which we already agreed with both Armenia and Azerbaijan .
The prime minister ( of Armenia ) then said : no , we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle , we will fight , ” Putin said .
Being an experienced politician , Putin added that accusations against Pashinyan over his betrayal of Armenia “ have no basis.
” As to the status of Nagorno-Karabakh , Putin noted , it still should be determined .
“ Yes , there is this problem , since Karabakh ’ s final status has not been settled .
We have agreed to maintain the status quo .
What happens next will be decided eventually by the future leaders and the future participants in this process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created for normal life and relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan , between people in everyday life , especially in the conflict zone , are restored , it will create an environment for determining Karabakh ’ s status .
With regard to recognising or not recognising Karabakh as an independent state , there may be different approaches , but this undoubtedly was a significant factor , including in the course of the bloody conflict that I hope has ended .
Because the very fact of the non-recognition of Karabakh , including by Armenia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of events and the way it is perceived .
To put it bluntly , after the former Georgian leaders ’ undoubtedly criminal moves , I mean the attacks against our peacekeepers in South Ossetia , Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia .
We recognised the expression of the will of the people living in Crimea to reunite with Russia as just , and we met the people halfway , we did so openly .
Some people may like it , others may not like it , but we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who live there and in the interests of Russia , and we are not ashamed to speak about it openly .
This did not happen with Karabakh , and this , of course , has significantly influenced the developments there.
“ In fact , as it was already noted by experts , Pashinyan and his government just betrayed interests of the Armenian nation by sabotaging the Russia-proposed piece deal in October because it would inevitably lead to the further increase of Russian influence in the region that goes contrary to interests of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Russia-brokered peace deal was delayed for weeks and the Armenians lost not only the south of Karabakh , but a large part of the territories of the Nagorno-Karabkh Republic , including the key city of Shusha .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Washington And Paris Ask Russia To Clarify For Them Turkish Role In Karabakh • IRGC Releases Alleged Photo of Azerbaijani President In Sniper ’ s Sights , Iran Says Presence Of Militants In Karabakh Unacceptable • Pinch-Me Moment Of Armenian Media Reveals Corruption And Chaos In Defense Ministry

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On November 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a kind of press-conference answering media questions regarding the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Azerbaijani-Armenian negotiations. Comments of the Russian president provide a great insight into the diplomatic background of the Karabakh war and the posture of the pro-Western government of Armenia, led by Soros-produced Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
According to the Russian president, “the most important achievement was stopping the bloodshed.”
“I have already said that according to official figures alone, over 4,000 people have died. I think that in reality the figures are higher. Tens of thousands are wounded and mutilated. Look, this is not a movie. This is a tragedy that has befallen real people, real families. Therefore, stopping the bloodshed is the main result. However, to understand what is happening we will still have to go back into history, literally in a few words. I have to recall that it all started in the already remote year of 1988, when ethnic clashes took place in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgayit. Armenian civilians fell victim to these events, and later it spread to Nagorno-Karabakh. And since the Soviet Union’s leaders did not react duly to these events… let me say it again: these are sensitive issues, and I do not want to side with anyone or decide who was right or wrong. It is no longer possible to determine this now, but it was necessary to put things in order and protect civilians, and this was not done. At that point, the Armenians themselves took up arms, and this protracted conflict, a conflict building for many years, broke out. Eventually, it led to a declaration of independence, sovereignty and self-reliance by Karabakh in 1991. The Bishkek agreements were signed in 1994 and this Bishkek memorandum stopped the hostilities at that time. What happened as a result? Karabakh declared independence, as I have said, and another seven adjacent regions came under the control of the Armenians, that is, Armenia. This is basically what we inherited from the past and this is the problem we had to resolve. I believe the fact that hostilities have stopped and, importantly, the parties agreed to unblock the roads and to restore economic ties is critically important and creates a good basis for normalising relations for the long term,” Putin said.
The Russian president also revealed that the hostilities in Karabakh may have been stopped weeks ago (in October, before the full collapse of the Armenian defense and the fall of the key stronghold of Susha), but Pashinyan was refusing to accept Russian peacekeepers in the region and allow displaced Azerbaijani people to return to the region, including Susha.
“On October 19-20, I had a series of telephone conversations with both President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan. And then the Azerbaijani armed forces regained control over an insignificant southern part of Karabakh. In general, I managed to convince President Aliyev that it is needed to stop hostilities, but a mandatory condition on his part was the return of refugees, including to the city of Shusha,” Putin said. “But unexpectedly for me, the position of our Armenian partners was formulated in such a way that it was unacceptable for them, and Prime Minister Pashinyan told me directly that he sees this as a threat to the interests of Armenia and Karabakh.“ “Bearing in mind that the return of civilians was supposed, while maintaining control on the part of the Armenian side over this part of the territory of Karabakh, including Shusha, and bearing in mind the presence of our peacekeepers, about which we already agreed with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. The prime minister (of Armenia) then said: no, we cannot agree to this, we will struggle, we will fight,” Putin said.
Being an experienced politician, Putin added that accusations against Pashinyan over his betrayal of Armenia “have no basis.”
“Another thing is whether it was right or wrong, this is another question. But here there can be no talk of any betrayal,” he added noting that it is unclear what kind of Armenian interests would be damaged by the Russian-backed peace in October 19-20.
As to the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, Putin noted, it still should be determined.
“Yes, there is this problem, since Karabakh’s final status has not been settled. We have agreed to maintain the status quo. What happens next will be decided eventually by the future leaders and the future participants in this process. I think if proper conditions are created for normal life and relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, between people in everyday life, especially in the conflict zone, are restored, it will create an environment for determining Karabakh’s status. With regard to recognising or not recognising Karabakh as an independent state, there may be different approaches, but this undoubtedly was a significant factor, including in the course of the bloody conflict that I hope has ended. Because the very fact of the non-recognition of Karabakh, including by Armenia, has left a deep imprint on the course of events and the way it is perceived. To put it bluntly, after the former Georgian leaders’ undoubtedly criminal moves, I mean the attacks against our peacekeepers in South Ossetia, Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. We recognised the expression of the will of the people living in Crimea to reunite with Russia as just, and we met the people halfway, we did so openly. Some people may like it, others may not like it, but we did it in the interests of the people who live there and in the interests of Russia, and we are not ashamed to speak about it openly. This did not happen with Karabakh, and this, of course, has significantly influenced the developments there.“
In fact, as it was already noted by experts, Pashinyan and his government just betrayed interests of the Armenian nation by sabotaging the Russia-proposed piece deal in October because it would inevitably lead to the further increase of Russian influence in the region that goes contrary to interests of the Western puppeteers of Pashinyan. Thus, the Russia-brokered peace deal was delayed for weeks and the Armenians lost not only the south of Karabakh, but a large part of the territories of the Nagorno-Karabkh Republic, including the key city of Shusha.
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southfront--2020-11-17--Military Situation In Yemen On November 17, 2020 (Map Update)

Click to see the full-size image A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen : • The Liaison and @ @ @ @ @ ( loyal to Ansar Allah ) reported 184 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past @ @ @ @ @ November 16 , Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 21 airstrikes on the Madghal area ; • @ @ @ @ @ coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on Khab and Shaaf districts ; • On November 16 @ @ @ @ @ and Saudi-led forces erupted in the Maraziq area ; • On November 16 , clashes @ @ @ @ @ Saudi-led forces were reported in the Tariya area .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • @ @ @ @ @ In Red And Arabian Seas

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A brief overview of the recent developments in Yemen:
The Liaison and Coordination Officers’ Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 184 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours;
On November 16, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 21 airstrikes on the Madghal area;
On November 16, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 4 airstrikes on Maheliyah district;
On November 16, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on Khab and Shaaf districts;
On November 16, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led forces erupted in the Maraziq area;
On November 16, clashes between the UAE-backed STC and Saudi-led forces were reported in the Tariya area.
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