Media: Deputy commander of Russian peacekeeping force killed in Nagorno-Karabakh

Ivan Kovgan, a deputy commander of the Russian peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh, was killed on Sept. 20 amidst Azerbaijan's offensive in the territory, Russian independent outlet Meduza reported on Sept. 21.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on the evening of Sept. 20 that an unspecified number of Russian peacekeepers had been killed in an attack on their vehicle as they returned from an observation post.

According to Meduza, the St. Petersburg Club of Submariners and Navy Veterans announced that Kovgan, a 52-year-old captain in the submarine force of Russia's Northern Fleet, had been killed.

Two media outlets based in the Russian city of Murmansk also reported on the death. One of them said that Kovgan had been in Nagorno-Karabakh since May.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry released a statement to express its "deepest condolences," and said the investigation is ongoing.

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev called Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on Sept. 21 and expressed his "deep condolences."

Nagorno-Karabakh accuses Azerbaijan of ceasefire violation

The Azerbaijani military has violated its ceasefire agreement and is continuing to attack Stepanakert (Khankendi in Azerbaijani), the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian media claimed on Sept. 21, citing the breakaway region’s Interior Ministry.

The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court