MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. Although Moscow can appreciate that emotions are running high around Nagorno-Karabakh, it is categorically against any attempts to shift responsibility for the situation to Russia or its peacekeepers, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan claimed that the Russian peacekeepers could have prevented the Azerbaijani military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh before it was launched as he alleged that they share responsibility for what happened.

"We can appreciate that emotions are running high at the moment, but we strongly oppose attempts to blame the situation on Russia, especially on its peacekeepers, whose actions have been nothing short of heroic while performing their functions in line with the mandate entrusted to them," Peskov emphasized. "Nobody can say our peacekeepers did something wrong, and we will never accept such reproaches," he added.

At the same time, the Russian presidential spokesman said, Moscow still maintains dialogue with both parties at various levels, "with Armenia, too, especially on these difficult days." According to Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with Pashinyan on September 20.

"Armenia remains our ally and close neighbor. Armenia is a nation that we hold dear. <…> We will continue to perform our functions and we will continue dialogue with Armenia, including with Pashinyan, and we will continue work so that the rights of Karabakh residents are observed, I mean the Armenians in Karabakh," Peskov vowed.

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 disputed region. Yerevan, in turn, said there were no Armenian forces in Karabakh, calling what was happening "an act of large-scale aggression."

Russia called on the conflicting sides to prevent civilian casualties, stop the bloodshed, and go back to diplomacy. On September 20, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said that an agreement mediated by the Russian peacekeepers was reached to suspend the anti-terrorist crackdown in Karabakh.