Overview

• Russian peacekeepers have started withdrawing from Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh, ending a years-long deployment.
• The withdrawal follows Azerbaijan’s forceful retake of the region and a subsequent exodus of ethnic Armenians.
• Azerbaijan and Russia have agreed on an early withdrawal, with the process already underway.
• The withdrawal coincides with rising tensions in the region, including Armenia’s shifting alliances away from Russia.
• The peacekeepers were originally deployed in 2020 following a Moscow-brokered ceasefire after six weeks of fighting.