Russia to expand military presence in Armenia: media

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia plans to expand its military presence in Armenia, Haykakan Zhamanak daily said.

According to the paper, a staff addition is scheduled at the Gyumri military base No. 102.

Russian military officials with their families - up to 3000 persons – are expected to arrive for service at the military base. The Armenian city is getting ready for guests, with several Armenian families to be relocated to new homes.

At the same time, Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan neither confirmed nor denied the report.

Yerevan and Moscow are planning to ratify an important agreement, envisaging direct purchases from Russian military plants, in the near future, Hraparak daily said earlier citing sources at parliament.

According to the daily, the deal will provide Armenia with exclusive rights. “There’s a similar agreement with Belarus, yet it contains some reservations, which the deal with Armenia does not,” the daily said.

In June 2013, during the visit of the Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev to Armenia, a military and technical cooperation agreement was signed with Russia. The agreement stipulates for each side to supply military products with the same specifications as for one’s own armed forces. The agreement also enables the supplier to exert control over the presence of products and their compliance with the intended use to be described in an additional treaty.

According to another deal, Armenia and Russia will form a joint defense enterprise as well as the border guards and emergency situation experts training centers. With Russia’s assistance, Armenia’s defense industry will launch production of ammunition, armory, as well as form a repair base for land, air and air defense forces.