Russia deploys peacekeepers to Nagorno-Karabakh, ceasefire halts fighting

Russian peacekeeping troops deployed to the mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh on Tuesday as part of a ceasefire deal to end six weeks of heavy fighting between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces.

Under the deal, Azerbaijan will keep territorial gains made in the fighting, including the enclave’s second city of Shusha, which Armenians call Shushi. Ethnic Armenian forces must give up control of a slew of other territories between now and Dec. 1.

Armenia’s defence ministry said military action had halted and calm had been restored in the breakaway territory, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated and, until recently, fully controlled by ethnic Armenians.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the deal should pave the way for a lasting political settlement of a conflict that has killed thousands, displaced many more, and had threatened to plunge the wider region into war.

NATO member Turkey, Azerbaijan’s main supporter and arms supplier, said the deal had secured important gains for its ally and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hailed it as a “sacred success”.