Aze.Media
Who we are
Donate
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
  • News
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Ecology
  • Culture
  • Diaspora
  • Interview
  • Science
  • Logistics-Transport
  • Gender
  • History
  • Defense
  • Karabakh
  • Home page
  • Culture
  • Defense
  • Diaspora
  • Gender
  • History
  • Interview
  • Karabakh
  • Logistics-Transport
  • News
    • Ecology
    • Economy
    • Energy
  • Opinion
  • Science
No Result
View All Result
Aze.Media
Home Karabakh

Contrary to previous claims, evidence shows Iskander missiles in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh war

Following months of denial by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia, Azerbaijan’s National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) provided evidence that suggests that Armenia used Russian-manufactured Iskander missiles during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Author: AzeMedia
April 15, 2021
in Karabakh
Reading Time: 4 mins read
Army2016demo-075

9K720 Iskander. Wikipedia

The group published the impact coordinates of the location of two alleged missile strikes on the city of Shusha during the war, as well as photos that appeared to show remnants of the missiles. The photos show missile type and serial numbers on the component fragments which identified them as Iskander missiles.

This new evidence of the use of Iskander missiles comes after multiple claims by various individuals and organizations that they were or were not used. On February 16, former Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan criticized current Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for not utilizing their Iskander missiles earlier in the war against targets beyond the line of contact, implying that they had been used. In a February 23 interview, Pashinyan replied to Sarkisyan’s comments by saying that Iskander missiles “did not explode or only exploded 10% of the time.” The Russian Defense Ministry reacted to these claims stating that no Iskander missiles were used during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. On February 26, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also denied the use of Iskander missiles saying that Azerbaijan did not see them used or launched. However, on April 12, Aliyev claimed that Iskander-M missiles were used on the city Shusha in Nagorno-Karabakh. He claimed that Azerbaijan has “enough information” and is only waiting for an “official explanation” of their use.

A photo via caliber.az shows a component with the marking “9M723” on a piece of the missile’s wreckage. The Iskander-M version is a the highly versatile model with a range of up to 500 km (310 mi) that is only found in the Russian military. Its warhead can be conventional high explosive, nuclear, or other variants, and has a unique flight pattern that evades interception during its flight and terminal phases. The Iskander-E (E for “export”) systems were delivered to Armenia in 2016. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) arms export database indicates the missiles in Armenia’s possession were the 9M723 version. The Iskander-E is the 9M720 variant, which could indicate that the base model is from the -M but was modified for export. Given that the airframes and components for the missiles are based on the -M, or the 9M723, it is highly likely that the -E version has markings found in the -M version.

LatestNews

9235EEE6-08AA-495B-9617-673293E25CFA

The European mass graves you never knew about

August 11, 2022
Russian-peacekeeping-forces

Both Baku and Yerevan angered by Russian forces’ failures in Karabakh

August 10, 2022

Armenian humanitarian fraud in Lachin

August 8, 2022

‘Small Hiroshima’: Addressing systemic cultural heritage erasure in formerly Armenia-occupied territories

August 4, 2022

Russia emphasized that the systems sold to Armenia differed from the Iskander-M systems deployed to Russia’s 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia since 2013. The -E model is a short-range ballistic missile system with a maximum range of only 280 km (174 mi) in order to comply with the guidelines of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The videos appear to show two Iskanders being launched from Armenia. The flight paths, while visible in the videos, appear to be normal trajectory arcs that are indicative of an -E model rather than using evasive flight maneuvers that would indicate an -M model Iskander.

Given that the -M version is nuclear-capable, it would be a grave matter if Russia sold or transferred a nuclear-capable weapon system to Armenia, because it would violate international arms agreements that were in effect at the time, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NNPT). The possibility that the weapons could be discovered as -M models at some point or used by Armenia in a conflict with Azerbaijan could pose a serious international issue for Russia. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that Russia transferred -M models to Armenia due to the potential blowback it would certainly receive from the international community for transferring nuclear-capable weapons to Armenia.

However, Russia stated unequivocally that no Iskanders were fired during the conflict when the evidence is clearly to the contrary. While this statement was initially echoed by both Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan has now refuted it, claiming that -M models (not the -E models) were used. If the allegations are true, Russia’s reputation as a high-quality arms exporter and claims of compliance with international arms control regimes would be severely damaged. Armenia has yet to respond to Azerbaijan’s allegations and has previously denied these claims. Armenia, the recipient of such advanced weaponry, cannot afford to alienate its major supplier of armaments, regardless of whether they were tactically or operationally effective in the war.

In contrast, while Azerbaijan received substantial Russian weaponry in years past, it now has other options for procurement in that Turkey and Israel provided advanced capabilities which were used with profound effect during the war against Armenia’s advanced Russian armaments.  Perhaps President Aliyev now perceives he can—or should—rely upon other weapons providers and transition off the less-potent Russian capability base.  With this calculation, it would become possible to claim the use of the Iskander -M models and willingness to incur Russian anger over the issue. Regardless, Russia can make significant mischief for Azerbaijan over the Iskander issue via its peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh.

General (ret.) Michael Repass and Nicole Wolkov

Caspian Policy Center

Share6Tweet4SendShare

Get real time update about this post categories directly on your device, subscribe now.

Unsubscribe

Related Posts

9235EEE6-08AA-495B-9617-673293E25CFA
Karabakh

The European mass graves you never knew about

August 11, 2022
Russian-peacekeeping-forces
Karabakh

Both Baku and Yerevan angered by Russian forces’ failures in Karabakh

August 10, 2022
29865388826_9652cbb89a_b
Karabakh

Armenian humanitarian fraud in Lachin

August 8, 2022
105153
Karabakh

‘Small Hiroshima’: Addressing systemic cultural heritage erasure in formerly Armenia-occupied territories

August 4, 2022
TASS_46839842
Karabakh

What are the reasons behind the new escalation in Karabakh?

August 3, 2022
1651731392-1651730966-2021-08-16t211457z_1862476728_rc2k6p96s9ip_rtrmadp_3_afghanistan-conflict-usa
Karabakh

American-style apology: State Department acknowledges death of OSCE Minsk Group

July 27, 2022
Security-Council-of-Armenia-Secretary-Armen-Grigoryan
Karabakh

Armenia pledges to withdraw Armed Forces from Karabakh

July 23, 2022
Armenia_Azerbaijan_50477
Karabakh

Armenia’s refusal to withdraw forces from Karabakh jeopardizes peace efforts

July 21, 2022

New articles

Opinion

‘Decisive steps by Armenia critical for cooperation in South Caucasus’

August 14, 2022
Opinion

Iran continues to scheme against Azerbaijan

August 14, 2022
Energy

The burgeoning energy partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU

August 13, 2022
Opinion

Pro-Kremlin analyst: Little by little all lands in Karabakh will come under Azerbaijan’s control

August 13, 2022
Opinion

Yerevan’s “spy” campaign against Armenians seeking Azerbaijani citizenship

August 13, 2022
News

Ilham Aliyev on Operation Vengeance in Karabakh

August 12, 2022
Energy

Kazakhstan seeks to bypass Russia by selling oil through Azerbaijan

August 12, 2022
Interview

Farid Shafiyev: Burning houses in Lachin will entail military and legal accountability for Armenians

August 12, 2022
Opinion

Details of talks between Turkey and Armenia: Yerevan confirmed having no land claims against Turkey

August 12, 2022
Opinion

Russia-Kazakhstan dynamic in the context of European energy and economic security

August 12, 2022
c24a7d34-02d2-45a2-95ad-980aa8264ad5
426082d1-a9e4-4ac5-95d4-4e84024eb314
ab65ed96-2f4a-4220-91ac-f70a6daaf659
96e40a2b-5fed-4332-83c6-60e4a89fd4d0
759bde00-a375-4fa1-bedc-f8e9580ceeca
aze-media-logo-ag

Aze.Media offers an independent and strategic insight on socio-cultural, political and economic life in Azerbaijan. We are thinkers of diverse disciplines spread across countries working together as one team to provide international audiences with an alternative point of view on Azerbaijani and foreign realities.

Email: editor@aze.media


© 2021 Aze Media International Platform for Alternative Thought.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Economy
  • Ecology
  • Energy
  • Opinion
  • Culture
  • Gender
  • Interview
  • Science
  • Logistics-Transport
  • History
  • Defense
  • Karabakh
  • Diaspora
  • Who we are

© 2021 Aze Media International Platform for Alternative Thought.