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Armenia expresses condolences over death of Russian helicopter pilots

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry informed that a Russian Mi-24 helicopter had been downed over Armenia near the border with Azerbaijan from a man-portable air-defense system

YEREVAN, November 9. /TASS/. The Armenian Defense Ministry has expressed its condolences to the Russian Defense Ministry over the death of the pilots of a Russian helicopter downed over Armenia earlier, the ministry’s spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan wrote on Facebook on Monday.

"The Armenian Defense Ministry expresses its deepest condolences to the Russian Defense Ministry over the death of pilots of the helicopter belonging to the 102nd Russian base downed over Armenian territory. The pilots were killed while adhering to Russia’s alliance obligations to ensure Armenia’s security, due to this they will receive high state honors of Armenia, if the Russian Defense Ministry approves it," the message reads.

Earlier on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry informed that a Russian Mi-24 helicopter had been downed over Armenia near the border with Azerbaijan from a man-portable air-defense system. Two crewmembers were killed, one was evacuated with moderate injuries to the home air base. Azerbaijan later claimed responsibility for the crash, informing that it downed the Russian helicopter by mistake and offering to pay damages.