YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Defense of Armenia Davit Tonoyan has warned that if the Artsakh civilian settlements are permissible combat operations areas for the Azerbaijani military-political leadership then “shocking consequences” will happen for Azerbaijan.

Tonoyan spoke to Zinuzh Media about the Azeri defense minister’s accusations claiming the Azeri settlements were shelled from the territory of Armenia.

“No kind of long-range bombardment or use of missiles has taken place from the territory of Armenia to the territory of Azerbaijan, yet. And if Stepanakert, Martuni, Hadrut, Martakert and other civilian settlements are permissible combat operation areas for the Azerbaijani military-political leadership then the Artsakh Armed Forces’ professional and skilled units are very abruptly responding and terrifying consequences will happen for Azerbaijan, terrifying,” Tonoyan said.

Speaking about the Azeri defense minister’s statement on “Armenia’s actions will expand the combat operations zone”, Tonoyan said he believes that the Azeri minister has perhaps confused with his “deep” military knowledge the expansion zone of the combat operations, which includes the Republic of Armenia. “Particularly, the Azerbaijani forces have already bombarded the settlements in the Vardenis region of the Republic of Armenia by using heavy artillery and UAVs. And if this isn’t an expansion of the combat zone for him then let experts make the conclusions,” Tonoyan said.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan