On September 28, 2020, from 13:00, and the following days, the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan, under the general command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President of the Republic  Ilham Aliyev, Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov and other high-ranking military officials in gross violation of the requirements of numerous norms of international humanitarian and customary law - paragraph 4 of Article 2 of the UN Charter of June 26, 1945 (All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations (the Charter entered into force on October 24, 1945, for the Republic of Armenia entered into force on March 2, 1992)), paragraph "a" of Resolution 3314 of the XXIX session of the UN General Assembly dated 14 December 1974 (invasion or attack by the armed forces of the state on territory of another state), paragraph "b" (bombardment by the armed forces of a state of the territory of another state or the use of any weapon by a state against the territory of another state), paragraph "d" (An attack by the armed forces of a State on the land, sea or air forces, or marine and air fleets of another State), Article 8-bis of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (hereinafter ICC) of June 17, 1998, the provisions of Articles 48, 51 (2), 52 (2), paragraph 3 of Article 51 (4) and paragraph 5 of Article 85 of the first Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, concerning the protection of victims of international armed conflicts, rules 1, 7, 11, 12, 54 of customary international humanitarian law (that is, the practice of states determines responsibility, regardless of the circumstance, whether the given state is a party of the 1st Additional Protocol or Statute of the ICC), using mortar-rocket-artillery weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles, encroached on the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia, unleashing an aggressive war and carrying out an act of aggression.

In particular:

As a result of large-scale investigative and other procedural actions carried out within a dozen of criminal cases initiated by the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia, it was found out that by the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, using prohibited methods of waging war, without separating civilians from military personnel, as a target for systematized, deliberate and intentional attacks were chosen the civilian population of 10 peaceful settlements - the city of Vardenis of Gegharkunik marz, the settlements of Sotk, Norabak, Kut of the Geghamasar community, Vardenik, Artsvanist, Mets Masrik communities of the same marz, the Kaputan and Kotayk communities of the Kotayk marz, the Kaghnut settlement of Kapan community of Syunik marz, located deep in the rear and not participating in hostilities; including civilians living in densely populated areas, also critically important civilian infrastructures - buildings, roads, residential buildings, educational institutions and other infrastructures, a passenger bus, as well as individual civilians. As a result, 4 people were killed, who are under the protection of international law, and two citizens received various bodily injuries. Attacks with the use of mortar-rocket-artillery weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles led to deliberate large-scale destruction of private and public property, causing property damage in particularly large amount.

In addition, as a result of the criminal actions of the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan on September 29, 2020, on the air territory of the Republic of Armenia, near the Vardenis community, an SU 25 aircraft belonging to the RA Ministry of Defense was shot down, as a result of which the pilot of the aircraft, Major Valery Danelin, was killed.

On behalf of the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee, an investigation group was established, and in order to ensure the completeness, objectivity and comprehensiveness of the investigation of the criminal cases, large-scale investigative and other procedural actions are carried out; information on the results will be periodically provided.