YEREVAN, May 27. /TASS/. Azerbaijan's capture of six Armenian troops in the border Gegharkunik Province was a provocation aimed at raising tensions, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"The inflammatory activities of Azerbaijan's military and political leadership are aimed at further exacerbating tensions, which can seriously undermine regional peace and stability. We strongly condemn Azerbaijan's use of force against Armenia's territorial integrity and sovereignty. We would like to emphasize that Azerbaijan's military and political leadership is responsible for the activities of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces," the statement reads.

Armenian Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in turn, said at a cabinet meeting on Thursday that "Armenian troops were staying on Armenia's sovereign territory, planting mines along the borderline and installing warning signs not for subversive purposes."

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said earlier that six Armenian troops had been captured when trying to cross the two countries' border. According to Azerbaijan, several pieces of Armenian military equipment, including tanks, were detected near the border on Thursday morning. The Armenian Defense Ministry rejected Baku's claims that the captured troops had set foot on Azerbaijan's territory.

The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains tense since May 12, when the Armenian Defense Ministry said that Azerbaijan's Armed Forces had attempted to carry out "certain activities" in the Syunik Province's border district. The ministry added that the Azerbaijani troops halted their activities following some steps taken by Armenian forces. According to Pashinyan, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had crossed Armenia's border, moving 3.5 kilometers into the country's territory. Yerevan later said that it had contacted the CSTO regarding the surge in border tensions.