Russian ally forced to give up disputed enclave as ceasefire declared

Ethnic Armenians in control of Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to a Moscow-proposed ceasefire on Wednesday, one day after Azerbaijani forces launched an offensive in the breakaway region.

"The authorities of the Republic of Artsakh accept the proposal of the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to cease fire," Armenian-aligned authorities, who call themselves the Republic of Artsakh, said on Wednesday.

The agreement on the "complete cessation of hostilities," negotiated by Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, came into effect at 1 p.m. local time in the enclave, Russia's Defense Ministry said.