Introduction. The legal framework for peacekeeping operations is one of the main issues analyzed today by experts in the field of international relations and international security in the context of conflict resolution. The participation of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation in stabilizing the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh from November 9, 2020 to June 12, 2024 became one of the convincing illustrations of how the lack of an adequate legal framework affected the effectiveness of the peacekeeping mission and the ability of Russia to influence the positions of the actors involved in the conflict and its settlement. The article is focused on the current aspects of the legal status of Russian peacekeepers and mechanisms for protecting the interests of both Russian peacekeepers and peacekeeping forces as a whole. The article analyzes the degree to which the tasks of the peacekeeping operation were fulfilled and identifies the impact of the actions of the third parties - Turkey and Iran - on it. The purpose of the article is to systematize the main characteristics of the legal framework, based on the analysis of the problems of implementing the peacekeeping operation of the Russian Federation in Nagorno-Karabakh, taking into account the actions of the countries involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, including Turkey and Iran. Methods. The study uses general scientific methods, including the analysis of legal documents and scientific literature. Scientific novelty of the study consists in a comprehensive analysis of the legal regulation of the peacekeeping operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, in the context of Turkey and Iran involvement, which made it possible to identify unique aspects of the operation. Unlike existing studies, the work focuses on the interaction of various legal norms and principles applied by all participants in the peacekeeping operation, which creates a multi-level picture of the peacekeeping process. For the first time, the work of the Joint Russian-Turkish Center for Monitoring the Ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh as a political organism of interaction between the conflicting parties and the Interdepartmental Humanitarian Response Center as an institution ensuring the return of the civilian population to normal life is comprehensively described. Moreover, the article highlights the influence of regional players on the formation of normative bases of peacekeeping activities, offering new approaches to assessing each country’s stake in conflict resolution. Results. The article examines the problems of international legal regulation of the peacekeeping operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, taking into account the influence of all interested parties to the conflict. An analysis of existing international norms and mechanisms, such as UN mandates and the creation of regional treaties to resolve the conflict, is conducted. Shortcomings in the legal regulation of peacekeeping activities in general and the Russian peacekeeping forces in particular are identified. Conclusions. The peacekeeping operation in Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrates gaps in international legal norms for effective conflict resolution, current problems of coordinating the actions of all participants, ineffective mechanisms for the use of preventive force.
