Nagorno-Karabakh events show Russia’s grip on its old backyard is slipping

It was clear as Azerbaijan launched its offensive that Russian peacekeepers had no intention of intervening

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When Armenia called on Russia on Tuesday to step in after Azerbaijan launched anti-terrorist" operations in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, it quickly became evident that the 2,000 Russian peacekeepers stationed there would stand aside.

Stationed along the key highway that runs through the contested area, Russian peacekeepers arrived in the region in 2020 under a five-year mandate after Moscow brokered the end of the previous conflict between the two countries.