Russia responds to traditional ally's request to withdraw troops

The Kremlin said on March 12 that Russia had received a notification from Armenia about the termination of the work of the Russian Border Guard Service at Zvartnots International Airport in the Caucasus country's capital Yerevan.

“We have indeed received a ministerial letter on this issue, and contacts are currently being made through the agencies. I cannot say more now,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a briefing in Moscow.

Mr Peskov added that contacts between the Russian and Armenian authorities would continue “at all possible levels”.

Earlier in the day, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a press conference in Yerevan that the country's Border Guards had sent a letter to the Russian side thanking them for their service.

Pashinyan said that the Armenian Border Guards had “enough experience, skills and knowledge to carry out their tasks at Zvartnots airport without Russian support.”

He also said the letter indicated that the work of the Russian Border Guard Service would end on August 1. “This is a working process, not a political process,” the Armenian prime minister added.

Earlier, Armen Grigoryan, head of the Armenian Security Council, told journalists last week that Yerevan had sent an official letter to Moscow on the matter.

World - Russia responds to traditional ally's request to withdraw troops — Russian border guards have been present at Zvartnots airport under an agreement signed between Moscow and Yerevan in 1992. Photo: Radar Armenia

“Armenia has a clear position on this issue. The Russian Federation has been informed in writing about this clear position,” Grigorian told reporters on March 6, adding that from Yerevan’s point of view, only Armenian border guards are on duty at the airport.

Russian border guards are part of the structure of the Federal Security Service in Armenia and have been present at Zvartnots airport since 1992 under an agreement signed by Moscow and Yerevan. The agreement to station the troops there does not specify the role of the Russian border guards, but it does stipulate that Russia can use the airport for transportation needs.

Armenia has distanced itself from its traditional ally Russia in recent months, moving closer to the West. Yerevan had previously raised the subject of the airport, but Grigorian’s comments on March 6 were the first time Armenia had formally made the request.

“The share of military equipment purchases with Russia has dropped from 96% to less than 10%. This means that Armenia is pursuing a policy of diversification with partners not only in the West but also in Asia and elsewhere. Big changes are taking place. Armenia is diversifying its economy and security,” Grigorian added.

The demand for Russian troops to leave comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Pashinian said in an interview with French television station France 24 that Armenia had frozen its membership in the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), feeling it could no longer rely on Moscow to cover its defense needs .

Minh Duc (According to Anadolu, Armenia News, RFE/RL)

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