Azerbaijan makes Nagorno-Karabakh gains; Russian chopper hit

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Azerbaijani forces took control of a strategic city in the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and were nearing its capital, a spokesman for the region’s government confirmed Monday, and Azerbaijan said it shot down a Russian helicopter over Armenia far from the fighting. Two Russian servicemen were killed.

The seizure of Shushi — which Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had claimed a day earlier — is the most significant military development since fighting between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces over Nagorno-Karabakh restarted in September.

Separately, Azerbaijan said that its forces shot down the Russian military helicopter as it flew over Armenia. The incident happened about 70 kilometers (45 miles) away from Nagorno-Karabakh, but Azerbaijan said the war there was a contributing factor.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies in Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia.

Shushi’s position just six miles (10 kilometers) from the regional capital of Stepanakert gives strategic advantage to whoever holds it. The city also lies along the main road connecting Stepanakert with Armenia. Long lines of vehicles jammed the territory’s main road on Sunday as Nagorno-Karabakh residents fled the fighting into Armenia.

“Unfortunately, we are forced to admit that a series of failures still haunt us, and the city of Shushi is completely out of our control,” Vagram Pogosian, a spokesman for the president of the government in Nagorno-Karabakh, said in a statement on Facebook. “The enemy is on the outskirts of Stepanakert.”

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian insisted that “the fight for Shushi is continuing,” indicating Armenian forces were either trying to retake the city or prevent advances toward the...