The Russian side calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia to immediately conduct a comprehensive analysis of video materials with executions of servicemen for signs of war crimes. If the facts are confirmed, all the perpetrators must be held accountable, according to a comment circulated on Monday by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced.

“These videos are replete with footage of extreme cruelty. All cases of violations of international humanitarian law must be thoroughly investigated. We call on the Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities to immediately conduct a comprehensive in-depth analysis of these videos, including for signs of war crimes. If the facts are confirmed, all those responsible must be brought to justice liable to the fullest extent of the law,” the diplomat said when asked to comment on the relevant video footage.

Zakharova stressed that Moscow continues to make “serious efforts to improve the situation in the region” and normalize relations between Baku and Yerevan. “We proceed from the fact that there is no alternative to peace. We are ready to provide the parties with the necessary assistance,” she added.

Earlier, a video appeared on the Armenian segment of social networks, in which, allegedly, Azerbaijani soldiers were shooting a group of Armenian prisoners of war. Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Aram Torosyan on Sunday called the video authentic, pointing out that it was “the handwriting of the Azerbaijani armed forces,” but the place and time of the incident have not yet been established.

Toivo Klaar, the EU special representative for the crisis in the South Caucasus and Georgia, condemned  the shooting of the prisoners.

” Another horrible video has emerged of Armenian prisoners of war apparently being executed. If this video is proven to be authentic then this is a war crime that needs to be investigated and the perpetrators punished,” Klaar wrote.

The office of the representative of the Republic of Armenia on International Legal Matters  announced that As part of the claims submitted to the European Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice regarding the protection of the rights of Armenian prisoners of war, the video of the execution of Armenian servicemen circulated on social networks on 2 October of this year was presented to the mentioned courts, once again emphasizing the fact of Azerbaijan’s violation of the fundamental rights of ethnic Armenians.