Baku, Azerbaijan, May 21
Trend:
Radar stations of Azerbaijan's Air Defense Forces monitor all aircraft moving in the country's airspace, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said in a message on May 21.
The ministry stated that Armenian media reports related to alleged use of tactical and military aircraft during the exercises of the Armenian Armed Forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is exaggerated and intended for Armenian audience.
"During the exercises on May 16 and 17, only Mi-24 helicopters and two Su-25 aircraft of the Armenian Armed Forces were used," according to the ministry.
The ministry reported that the helicopters took off from the Erebuni airport and flew in the direction of Vardenis-Zod and back.
"The planes performed flight in the direction of Sisian from the Gyumri airport in Armenia and landed at the Erebuni airport. The radar stations of Azerbaijan's Air Defense Forces monitor all aircraft moving in the airspace of our country. The information on routes of their flight is immediately automatically transferred to the command post of the Air Force," the ministry said.
The ministry stressed that the Air Defense Forces of Azerbaijan, using modern weapons systems, are capable of destroying any air targets violating the country's air borders.
"We once again urge not to succumb to such information provocations of the enemy," the ministry said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.