Armenia wants Russian forces to guard border with Azerbaijan

Armenia’s acting prime minister has proposed stationing Russian border guards along the country’s border with Azerbaijan as tensions between the two ex-Soviet nations continue to simmer

YEREVAN, Armenia -- Armenia's acting prime minister proposed stationing Russian border guards along the country's border with Azerbaijan, as tensions between the two ex-Soviet nations continue to simmer Thursday. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan floated the idea a day after three Armenian troops were killed in cross-border hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which for decades have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. The two countries accused each other of starting Wednesday's fighting, which wounded soldiers on both sides. Azerbaijan said Armenian forces opened fire at its positions on the Kalbajar section of the border, and the Armenian military said its personnel were attacked by Azerbaijani forces. Pashinyan said Thursday that stationing Russian border guards along the border “would allow to carry out the demarcation and delimitation of the border without the risk of military clashes."