A primer on the Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenia vs Azerbaijan) conflict, as it somehow is trending in India.

The conflict has its roots, just like the Crimean conflict in the 1920's when the newly formed USSR was redrawing provinces. Just like the colonial powers world over

1/n the USSR didn't pay any heed to geography, culture, ethnic or historical precedents. Nagorno-Karabakh historically was ruled by the Kingdom of Armenia. But in the reorganization, the USSR deemed it an autonomous Oblast attached to Azerbaijan (sort of like a UT in India)

2/n it was status quo till 1988 when USSR was in deep trouble, and Armenian insurgents began a low intensity conflict against the Azeri province. Post the collapse of the SU this turned into full scale war. In 1991 the New state of Russia started to provide the smaller Armeni

3/n with billions in arms and even Russian mercs. It's geopolitical objective was to force the pro west leaning and oil rich Azerbaijan back into the Russian orbit. Azerbaijan in its response turned it into a Jihad and 10's of thousands of Iranian, Afghan, Chechen, Pakistani

4/n and other Jihadists flooded into Azerbaijan. Turkey (ostensibly blessed by the US) provided overt support in terms of arms and equipment. Chechen hardcore insurgents from Ibn Khattab (a Saudi who fought in Chechnya) to Basayev, this drew a stronger response from the Russians

5/n who now deployed Russian combat units acting as mercs (like Pakistani army and ISI units leading Taliban assaults) by the end of 92, Armenia openly sent active combat units (till now it was a merc war) and the conflict escalated yet again.

By the end of 93

6/n Armenia was trouncing Azerbaijan on all fronts, this provoked Turkey and Iran to mobilise and they threatened their own overt wars on tiny Armenia and Armenia slowed down the tempo of ops.

Then in 94 using entirely the proxies of the Republic of Arkatskah

7/n Armenia stepped up its offensives and captured yet more land from Azerbaijan. A note here, from the start, Armenia fought on behalf of this republic which was said to be autonomous but in reality was a client state of the Armenians.

Mid 94 and the Azeris had enough

8/n they opened negotiations with the Republic (thus recognising it's legality) and the war began to ebb. A cease fire was signed but the fly in the ointment? Like India and Pakistan the was no peace treaty so this uncomfortable status quo continued.

This disputed region

9/n was a part of Azerbaijan but an independent republic comprised of a majority Armenian population and run by an elected govt which was a client state of Armenia. Which brings us to the present.

We don't know who started the war (both sides claim it was the other)

10/10 but the reason is the same. Azerbaijan wants to occupy the whole region, dismantle the republic and govern it as a province. Armenia wants the region to maintain its independence.

Russia backs Armenia and Turkey Azerbaijan.

End