Azeri forces announced the capture of the strategic town of Shushi, or Susa as it is known in Azerbaijan, in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that is now raging in its sixth week.

Along with the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognised by most states as territories under the jurisdiction of Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh exists as a post-Soviet frozen conflict serving the purpose of maintaining instability in the Caucasus area and keeping these nations under the thrall of Russia.

It is not that war had not been unforeseen. For the past decade, both sides had been preparing for the eventual endgame – as with all geopolitical conflicts, one side will eventually prevail over the other. These things are only a matter of time.

Putin may not know how the economy works, but for the former KGB agent, the world is a giant chessboard for which he has always smugly seen himself as the paramount chess master. In the case of Nagorno-Karabakh, however, it would seem that Erdoğan has been gleefully running circles around him.

Azerbaijani Military Takes Over Key Town In Nagorno-Karabakh