Dadivank monastery in Karabakh in 2016. Focus on Karabakh photo.

Late on November 9, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on cease-fire and deployment of Russian peacekeepers. The agreement, subsequently published, calls for Armenian forces’ withdrawal from roughly half of the territory in Karabakh they currently control, including the former Aghdam, Kelbajar and Lachin districts within days. The Russian peacekeepers will be based in Stepanakert, along the frontline and control the road to Goris via Berdzor (Lachin). Turkish-backed Azerbaijani forces are expected to remain in Shushi and southern third of former Nagorno Karabakh autonomy territory they occupied since last month. The agreement did not address Artsakh’s status.

NKR president Arayik Harutyunyan said in an address on November 10 that the agreement was a forced measure, considering the state of the Armenian forces after more than 40 days of fighting with technically superior Azerbaijani forces backed by the Turkish air force and Turkish Syrian mercenaries.

With cease-fire holding from early hours of November 10, Russian forces began to deploy in Karabakh via Goris.