Was a cease-fire agreement negotiated in great secrecy this Monday evening by the Armenian leaders to end the war in Nagorno-Karabakh?
This is what a statement by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan suggests on his official Facebook account.
The Armenian leader even announces having signed a “painful” agreement to end the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.
A little later Vladimir Poutine confirmed an agreement of "total ceasefire" between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“On November 9, the President of Azerbaijan (Ilham Aliev), the Prime Minister of Armenia (Nikol) Pashinian and the President of the Russian Federation signed a declaration announcing a total ceasefire and the end of all military actions in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone from midnight on November 10 Moscow time, ”Vladimir Putin said, according to a statement released Monday to Tuesday night to the media.
In this statement posted the night of Monday to Tuesday on his Facebook page, he said he had "signed a declaration with the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan on the end of the war in Karabakh", calling this initiative "incredibly painful for me and for our people ”.
"I made this decision following a thorough analysis of the military situation and the appreciation of the people who have the best control of the situation," continues the Armenian leader.
A strange reversal of position on the part of the Prime Minister, so far very firm on his positions.
An announcement that comes just hours after Azerbaijan shot down a Russian helicopter in a region far from the front line in Armenia.
An incident rather likely to involve Moscow a little more in the conflict between the two countries in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Mi-24 helicopter was "shot down", killing two crew members.
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Russia has however hinted that it would intervene in the conflict if it goes beyond the limits of the region, within the framework of the military treaty binding it to Armenia.
Turkey, the other regional power, supports the Azerbaijani offensive and has been accused of sending pro-Turkish mercenaries from Syria to fight in support of Baku.
Cease fire from 1 p.m. (local time)
This decision of a cease-fire from tomorrow 1 p.m. (10 a.m. in Paris) according to the Armenian Prime Minister (Moscow speaks well of midnight for its part) was approved Arayik Harutyunia, the President of the Republic of the 'Artsakh, where most of the fighting with Azerbaijani forces takes place.
He also confirmed the information via his Facebook account.
The move has already sparked anger on social media against the two Armenian leaders, and rallies are reportedly underway against the prime minister's decision in the capital Yerevan.