Within the scope of the traditional New Year tree lighting event in Kyrgyzstan, locals lighted a 25-meter-tall tree in Bishkek’s center square with the help of Kyrthe mayor, Emilbek Abdykadyrov.
The tree was illuminated with 7,000 toys, which represents the country’s 7 million population.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed that Russia officially recognizes Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. The statement followed backlash over Russian Vice President Vladimir Medinsky’s remarks referring to the region as “disputed.”
Zakharova clarified that Medinsky was discussing the humanitarian aspect of the conflict and urged against misinterpreting his words. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry criticized Medinsky’s comments and reminded that Russia’s official stance recognizes Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory.
TR