If the Azerbaijani soldier, who illegally crossed the border and entered the Armenian settlement of Shaki, isn’t prosecuted, then we can come to the conclusion that the relevant authorities of the Republic of Armenia do not know where the Armenian-Azerbaijani border lies, or generally, whether such a border exists at all. Furthermore, if this armed Azerbaijani intruder is not tried here in Armenia, it raises a crucial question: What is the difference between Armenia's stance and that of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), given that border clarification issues first emerged during the Jermuk clashes? This leads to another rhetorical question: In the future, once Russian border guards leave, is this how we intend to secure the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, allowing Azeris to enter freely whenever they want, harm our people, and walk away?

Ani Avetisyan, the 37-year-old woman, who suffered a gunshot wound shielding her three minor children with her own body, was transported to the hospital in critical condition, while the Azeri thug was eventually arrested, depriving him of the opportunity to reload the gun. As the doctors fight for the life of the heroic mother, her relatives are raising the alarm about the indifference of the state system and the relevant authorities. But this is not an ordinary incident. Ani has accomplished an unprecedented feat of maternal and civic heroism: she saved her children at the cost of her life and health, like a dauntless eagle, and deserves the public’s love and the state’s solicitude.

This is not the first time an Azerbaijani citizen has violated the border. About four years prior, the Azerbaijani trespasser crossed the border in Syunik, killed the night guard of Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine (ZCMC), was caught on the spot and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, under the name of a prisoner exchange, he was set free and sent back to Baku, alongside the other Azerbaijani prisoners. The Azeris, generally consider themselves a privileged class, as the side that won the 44-day war. During the first Artsakh war, Armenians achieved a brilliant victory, but never displayed such vulgarity. The border violations are still the lesser evil, Azerbaijan wants more of Armenia, right up to a final capitulation.

Even six years after the war, the malicious neighbour continues to make demands to Armenia, and the current government, which is an unprecedentedly weak and fearful one, accepts those demands and fulfills them. The Azerbaijani government uses a certain vocabulary when conveying its claims, which has an international context. Let us remember the very beginning, when the Artsakh war was referred to as a “special military operation.” Later, Russia used exactly the same wording for its war against Ukraine, and even before that it was used for the United States’ wars against Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. To that, Azerbaijan also added the term “Patriotic War,” clarifying that the country is waging a Patriotic War against Armenia.

After the war Azerbaijan demands demilitarization and denazification from Armenia. This is diplomatic vocabulary, too, which has been used since the Second World War. As part of demilitarization, Armenia, according to Aliyev, must reduce the size of the Armed Forces and defense spending in the state budget, limit weapons acquisition, as well as  remove from the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence the formulations amounting to territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As for denazification, Azerbaijan’s demands are as follows: rewriting of history in Armenia with all the heroic episodes being renounced, weakening the Armenian Apostolic Church, switching to new, neutral school programs, etc. Without a doubt, that’s not all there is.

Concerned about avoiding trouble and problems, the Azeri armed soldier, who entered Syunik, was looking for a family without a man, and so he found a woman with minor children. But it did not give him an advantage. Ani did not back down before the enemy, and managed to preserve her life in an emergency situation and to ensure her children’s safety. The Azeri scum has been arrested, but before that, he managed to shoot her in the knee. Of course he knows that in case Aliyev even halfheartedly tells Nikol to immediately set his citizen free, it is unlikely that Nikol would dare to refuse. But for that, that lowlife must amount to something himself.

“Hayatsk Yerevanits” Journal