Azerbaijani armed forces continuously violated the ceasefire on the contact line with Nagorno Karabakh on the night of December 20-21.

According to the Karabakh Defense Ministry, in the reporting period Azerbaijani armed forces have fired 1700 shots from various caliber artillery weapons, 60-, 82- and 120-mm mortars, AGS-17 and RPG-7 grenade launchers, as well as TR-107 rocket launcher.

The Azerbaijani side has also used D-30 122-mm howitzer.

According to the Karabakh Defense Ministry, Azerbaijani armed forces have fired on December 13-19, 19000 shots from various caliber artillery weapons, 60-, 82- and 120-mm mortars, AGM-9, AGS-17 and RPG-7 grenade launchers, as well as ZU-23-2 Sergey anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon and TR-107 rocket launcher.

Armenia’s Defense Ministry declared on December 20 that the Azerbaijani ceasefire violations have increased in depth and intensity.

“The Ministry has briefed the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk on the situation; the ambassador in turn, has informed the OSCE Minsk Group about the escalation on the contact line. Karabakh Defense army controls the situation on the contact line and retaliates in case of necessity,” the statement reads.

Following the Armenian-Azerbaijani Presidents’ meeting in Swiss Bern on December 19, the MG Co-chairs issued a joint statement, stating that the Presidents have expressed support to the Co-chairs’ efforts in the Karabakh peace process, committing themselves to the reduction of violence risk on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, with the measures to include the use of border investigation mechanisms.