Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called China’s military exercises near Taiwan China’s sovereign right. In a separate context, he also expressed “the Kremlin’s concern about the deteriorating situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region” and called on “the parties to show restraint and implement the tripartite agreements.”

Following a visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island that China, despite warnings, considers part of, Chinese authorities announced “military exercises in 6 areas surrounding the island from August 4 to 7.”

And Chinese state television announced earlier today that “The People’s Liberation Army has begun military exercises that include firing live ammunition in the waters and airspace around Taiwan.”

On the other hand, yesterday the Azerbaijani authorities stated that they “captured several strategic heights in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region with Armenia.”

The statement of the Azerbaijani army notes that it launched an operation called “Revenge” in response to “illegal terrorist movements of Armenian armed forces on the territory of Azerbaijan”, which resulted in the death of an Azerbaijani soldier.

This is what the Russian Ministry of Defense considered “Azerbaijan’s violation of the ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh on the border with Armenia” and pointed to “work to restore stability in the disputed region.”