October 9, 2020 - 01:24 AMT
Putin invites Armenian, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers to Moscow on Oct. 9

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an end to hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh to arrange the exchange of bodies and prisoners of war, Kremlin's website revealed late Thursday, October 8, after phone talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Also, Putin invited the Armenian and Azerbaijan Foreign Ministers to Moscow on October 9 to hold consultations with the mediation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Azerbaijan, with help from Turkey, launched a large-scale offensive against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27, shelling Armenian positions and civilian settlements with large caliber weapons and rocket systems. Armenia and Karabakh have introduced martial law and total mobilization. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military. International and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of towns and villages.

Donations can be made to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, which has launched a fundraising campaign to support Karabakh amid Azerbaijan's aggression.