Turkish Bayraktar drone crash site. Artsakh Defense Army photo

More fighting was reported throughout the day, particularly in the south of Karabakh. Azerbaijani forces aided by Turkish air force and Turkish Syrian mercenaries had reportedly reached the Zangelan (Kovsakan) area, part of Artsakh’s Kashatagh district and near the border with the Republic of Armenia. At the same time, according to the Armenian Defense Ministry, Armenian forces counterattacked in the area near Khodaferin bridge. Iranian officials reported another Israeli-made Harop drone crashing on its side of the border in Khoda Afarin county.

For the first time since the start of the fighting, the Defense Army published an image of a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone reported shot down by the Armenian air defense. The missile-armed drone was reportedly produced in September, just days before being deployed as part of the Bayraktar squadron to Azerbaijan ahead of the September 27 offensive. The drone’s optical equipment, L-3 Wescam CMX-15D, was reportedly produced in Canada last June. The Canadian government is said to have suspended exports of the Wescam equipment to Turkey shortly after the Turkish-Azerbaijani backed offensive.

On the diplomatic front, Russian president Vladimir Putin discussed Karabakh took a call from his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. The two reportedly discussed the planned joint statement being prepared at the UN Security Council, as well as efforts to achieve a cease-fire and resume negotiations.