An Armenian serviceman, who was captured by Azerbaijani troops yesterday (8 June) in the Lachin area of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border, has been handed back to Armenia.
The Azerbaijan Ministry of Defence (MOD) initially reported that a preliminary investigation had shown that Private Artur Katanyan had been part of a “reconnaissance-sabotage group”; however, later reported that “additional investigations” showed that he had “penetrated the territory of Azerbaijan, not for the purpose of committing a provocation”, and had been returned.
A press release yesterday by the Armenian MOD said that Private Katanyan, “disoriented in the terrain due to the fog, found himself in the territory under the control of the armed forces of Azerbaijan”, but that accusations of him being a saboteur did “not correspond to the reality”. A second press release by the Armenian MOD on 9 June confirmed that the soldier had been returned to the Armenian side in the early hours of the morning.