Russia claimed it brokered a cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan after fighting erupted on the border between the two countries, during which 49 Armenian soldiers and an undiscolsed number of Azerbaijani soldiers were killed, Reuters reported Sept. 13. Armenia and Azerbaijan blamed each other for the clashes, although it appears that Azerbaijan attacked to secure strategic heights along the undemarcated Armenia-Azerbaijan border. Why It Matters: Azerbaijan likely intended the clashes to force Armenia into withdrawing its remaining forces from the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region so they could defend the border. Azerbaijan likely also wanted to remind Armenia of its threat to restart their war by not recognizing Armenia's territorial integrity should progress toward a peace deal stall. This threat is particularly potent because the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is in no position to intervene on Armenia's behalf since Russia's military is occupied in Ukraine.