Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan stated that the hostilities in Artsakh have completely stopped.

In an interview with the Armenian Public TV on November 10, the Defense Minister said that Russian peacekeepers are being quickly deployed.

“The deployment is being carried out through the territory of Armenia - Goris, Lachin, Stepanakert, after which the peacekeepers will be deployed along the Nagorno-Karabakh border and the line of contact,” said Davit Tonoyan.

The army has done the maximum and the “impossible”

The Defense Minister said he considers labels such as “losers” offensive, “because the Ministry of Defense, with its entire military and civilian system, all the mobilization resources, the Armenian government, and the Diaspora did their best so that we could succeed.”

“The geopolitical situation was as follows: we were fighting in conditions of a total blockade in terms of arms and military equipment. What has been done in terms of logistics, arms and military equipment can be considered a heroic battle. The impossible has been done,” said Davit Tonoyan.

He noted that the Armed Forces, from conscripts to generals and the mobilized resources, have done their best.

“We are dealing with a new geopolitical situation”

“We were fighting against very large forces. Turkey and mercenary terrorists openly supported Azerbaijan,” said Tonoyan.

“This was not just a battle with Azerbaijan. We were dealing with a new geopolitical situation, moreover – a regional situation, not just the South Caucasus,” said Davit Tonoyan.

The Minister of Defense assured that “the maximum has been done”.

“The Armenian side had a big problem - the enemy’s air dominance, which we managed to neutralize from time to time, but the 5th generation equipment used by Azerbaijan with Turkey’s help made our response almost impossible in some cases,” said Tonoyan.

“The General Staff and the Ministry of Defense regularly briefed the head of the state on the operative situation, and as a result of a serious analysis of the situation a decision has been made,” he said.

According to Tonoyan, representatives of Armed Forces regularly presented correct information to the public.

“I do not accept the approach that we did not provide enough information and there was a misunderstanding among the public.”

Our forces were in Shushi until the last day

Speaking about operations in Shushi, Davit Tonoyan noted that they were dynamic.

“Rocket-shelling was carried out intensively, special forces and mercenaries were used, the city was besieged. The heroic battle continued, and we had an advantage for a moment. Our forces were in Shushi until the last day, but this does not mean that they could be influential in regaining full control over the city,” he said.

Armed Forces reforms will continue

According to Davit Tonoyan, the army is coming out of this war strong, quite experienced, and hardened.

“We will continue the reforms in the Armed Forces, arm ourselves with state-of-the-art equipment, and review our mobilization system, which has been problematic,” he said.

The domestic political situation

“The Armed Forces are out of the political process. As the Minister of Defense, I will only call for unification. Today we must not allow processes that could damage the activities of our Armed Forces on the frontline, even in the presence of peacekeepers.”