MOSCOW, September 20. /TASS/. Moscow expects the timing of a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to be worked out in the near future, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We are waiting on the time frame for the telephone conversation between President Putin and Prime Minister Pashinyan to be agreed upon. As soon as this conversation takes place, we will inform you," Peskov said.

When asked if preparations were underway for a Putin-Aliyev phone call, Peskov said: "Not yet." "We maintain working contact; such a conversation will certainly take place if necessary," Peskov added.

On September 19, tensions flared up again in Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku announced it was launching what it described as "local anti-terrorist measures" and demanded the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the region. Yerevan, in turn, said there were no Armenian forces in Karabakh, calling what was happening "an act of large-scale aggression." Residents of the Armenian capital took to the streets to protest outside the Armenian government building, blaming the country’s leadership and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for the situation.

The command for the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh said that civilians were being evacuated and urged the parties to the conflict to cease fire immediately.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on the conflicting sides to prevent civilian casualties, stop the bloodshed, and go back to honoring the agreements between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

On September 20, the Yerevan-based 24News media outlet reported that the authorities of the non-recognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic had decided to cease fire and accept the Russian peacekeeping mission’s proposals.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that the agreement to suspend the operation in Karabakh had been achieved in coordination with the Russian peacekeepers.