Russia deploys attack, transport helicopters in Armenia base

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia has reinforced its military base in Armenia with attack and transport helicopters, the press service of Defense Ministry’s Southern Military District announced Monday, December 21.

“Six modern attack Mi-24P and transport Mi-8MT helicopters from the Army’s aviation have been delivered [to the Armenian military base] from a military airbase in the Krasnodar region,” Sputnik International reports citing the press service.

By signing an agreement with Armenia on creating a joint missile air defense system in the South Caucasus, Russia has made a wise geopolitical move, U.S. global intelligence company Stratfor reported.

Currently, the aircraft are being assembled, according to the press service.

The district’s Erebuni base in Armenia was founded in 1995, with MiG-29 Fulcrum multirole fighters deployed there in 1998. In July 2001, the units at Erebuni were incorporated into an air division of the Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia.

On December 8, the military district said that seven of Russia’s advanced Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters and Mi-8MT Hip transport helicopters had been deployed to the Erebuni base.

Russian pilots are expected to begin helicopter flights from the base in the first quarter of 2016, according to the press service.