MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. Information about the Azerbaijani "anti-terrorist operation" in Nagorno-Karabakh was communicated to Russian peacekeepers just minutes before the start of hostilities, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"Information is circulating in the media that the Azerbaijani side allegedly warned Russian peacekeepers in advance about today's 'anti-terrorist operation' in Nagorno-Karabakh. This is not true. The information was given to the Russian contingent a few minutes before the start of hostilities," the diplomat wrote on her Telegram channel.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced the start of "local anti-terrorist operations in Nagorno-Karabakh." Baku says that it plans to "liquidate the positions of Armenian armed formations, their long-term firing points, as well as military means and military facilities" as part of these operations.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia is keeping in communication on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, including with the Azerbaijani side; the Foreign Ministry will make a statement on what comes out of this communication. She pointed out that Moscow is deeply concerned about the sharp escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and calls on the parties to the conflict to stop the bloodshed and try to settle things diplomatically.