Armenia says a ceasefire with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh no longer exists, describing frequent skirmishes at the front line as "war".
Artsrun Hovhannisyan, a spokesman of Armenia's defence ministry, said on Tuesday that Azerbaijan was using "all existing armaments: tanks, howitzers, and anti-aircraft artillery" against Armenian soldiers in the disputed region.
"What we have today is a war," said Hovhannisyan. "We must use the word 'war' as there is no ceasefire anymore."  
Azerbaijan responded with counter-accusations, blaming Armenia for the recent escalation.
"Ceasefire violations are taking place because of the illegal presence of Armenian forces in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan," Hikmat Hajiyevm, Azerbaijan's foreign ministry spokesman, told the AFP news agency.
"Armenia has to withdraw from the seized lands ... only afterwards the sustainable peace can be guaranteed in the region."