Russia brokered a new peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two countries that have been in a military conflict over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus.( A mountainous region of south-eastern Europe and south-western Asia, lying between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and south-eastern Russia)

The deal, which is meant to end the conflict between the two nations, was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev and Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan.

As per the new peace deal, both sides will now maintain positions in the areas that they currently hold, which will mean a significant gain for Azerbaijan as it has reclaimed over 15-20 per cent of its lost territory during the recent conflict,  under this agreement, all military operations are suspended

Refugees and internally displaced persons will return to the region and the adjacent territories and the two sides will also exchange prisoners of wars and bodies

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Straddling western Asia and Eastern Europe, Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but most of the region is controlled by Armenian separatists. Nagorno-Karabakh has been part of Azerbaijan territory since the Soviet era.

Years of clashes followed between Azerbaijan forces and Armenian separatists; by which time ethnic Armenians had taken control of the region.

Ethnic tensions from decades ago have a crucial role in the dispute. While the Azeris claim that the disputed region was under their control in known history, Armenians maintain that Karabakh was a part of the Armenian kingdom. At present, the disputed region consists of a majority Armenian Christian population, even though it is internationally recognised as a part of Muslim-majority Azerbaijan.