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WPS Agency, Russia
January 18, 2013 Friday
RUSSIA IS STRENGTHENING ITS BASE IN ARMENIA
by Vladimir Mukhin
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, N5-6, 18.01.2013, p. 1
[Translated from Russian]
Russia increases the military readiness of its armed group and the
Allied Force in the South Caucasus. In addition to the military bases
in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which have a common border with the
Russian Federation, special attention is focused on the Russian
enclave group in Armenia.
(...) On behalf of President Vladimir Putin, the government is hastily
preparing an agreement with Armenia on the development of
military-technical cooperation (MTC). By January 15th, the Defense
Ministry executed the plan of staffing the 102nd Russian military base
stationed in Gyumri (Armenia) with contract servicemen. For the past
six months, their number has doubled. At the same time, the base staff
personnel number of about 5,000 men remained the same.
In fact, all the military combat units of the Russian troops located
in Armenia (especially the Air Force, Air Defense, intelligence, and
so on) are staffed with professionals. This significantly reduces
transportation costs, since earlier the government had to deliver by
air conscripts twice a year - though, apparently, that was not the
main motivation for increasing the combat readiness of troops.
Military experts explain that the accelerated transfer of the 102nd
base to the professional grounds is associated with a possible abrupt
change in the geopolitical situation there, which threatens Russia and
its allies. These scenarios are associated with the onset of possible
hostilities of Azerbaijan against Armenia because of the Karabakh
conflict, as well as possible military action by Israel against Iran.
The expert community has repeatedly voiced similar scenarios. In
September 2012 the Interaction-2012 military exercises of the CSTO
Collective Rapid Response Forces took place in Armenia. According to
the Defense Ministry, the exercises were linked to "the need to repel
the aggression of irregular armed groups that unlawfully invaded the
territory of the so-called Republic of Sevania, a member-state of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization". The Defense Ministry
explains: the exercises revealed the need to substantially increase
the quality of personnel training, which is directly related to its
transfer to the professional status. The contract soldiers of the 98th
Guards Airborne Division, transferred from Russia to Armenia by air,
demonstrated the necessary training quality during the
"Cooperation-2012" exercise. So, it is expected that the contract
soldiers and sergeants of the 102nd military base will be trained to
become equally professional.
Military expert General Lieutenant Yury Netkachov comments: "Whether
the Russian group will participate in possible military action to
repel aggression against Armenia is a political question. But
unequivocally it is clear that our military base there must be combat
ready, including readiness for peacekeeping operations".
In support of his thesis, the general cites a recent speech by
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, made at the January 15meeting of
the Cabinet of Ministers. Once again Aliyev said that while the
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is in progress, Baku, among other
means, such as diplomatic and economic, is ready to influence Yerevan
with military means. Netkachov believes that these are not just words,
because, according to Aliyev, "Azerbaijan's military budget is USD 3.7
billion, significantly higher than the total budget of Armenia". Over
the past five years, Azerbaijan military spending has increased more
than tenfold, and has exceeded 5% of the GDP. Netkachov insists: "This
is a relatively high level of military spending, and the indirect
evidence of preparations for military action".
Meanwhile, Russia does not only improve its military force in Armenia.
It intends to increase military cooperation with the ally. According
to sources in the RF Defense Ministry, the draft agreement between
Armenia and Russia includes plans to create a defense joint venture,
as well as training centers for border guards and specialists in
emergency situations. With Russia's support, the defense industry of
Armenia should become capable of producing some types of ammunition,
armored vehicles, as well as create a local repair facility not only
for Army weapons, but also for the Air Force and Air Defense. Two
Security Council Secretaries, Arthur Baghdasaryan and Nikolai
Patrushev, signed an appropriate protocol between the two countries at
a meeting in Yerevan on February 9, 2012. Currently, the agreement
with Armenia on MTC is entering the home stretch. According to our
sources, it will be signed early next month.
Commenting on the possibility of signing an agreement on
military-technical cooperation with Armenia, Director of the Center
for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Ruslan Pukhov said that
"until recently, there was a strange situation: Armenia was our ally
was, while we pumped Azerbaijan with arms. We hope that with the
agreement (...) this imbalance will be corrected". Pukhov believes
that "Azerbaijan is not always pursuing a friendly policy toward
Russia. In particular, we know that the Azerbaijanis refused to extend
the lease on the Gabala radar station on acceptable terms, and that
Russia will have to look for alternatives". According to Pukhov, by
enhancing relations with Armenia, Russia defends its interests in the
South Caucasus.
[Translated from Russian]
January 18, 2013 Friday
RUSSIA IS STRENGTHENING ITS BASE IN ARMENIA
by Vladimir Mukhin
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, N5-6, 18.01.2013, p. 1
[Translated from Russian]
Russia increases the military readiness of its armed group and the
Allied Force in the South Caucasus. In addition to the military bases
in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which have a common border with the
Russian Federation, special attention is focused on the Russian
enclave group in Armenia.
(...) On behalf of President Vladimir Putin, the government is hastily
preparing an agreement with Armenia on the development of
military-technical cooperation (MTC). By January 15th, the Defense
Ministry executed the plan of staffing the 102nd Russian military base
stationed in Gyumri (Armenia) with contract servicemen. For the past
six months, their number has doubled. At the same time, the base staff
personnel number of about 5,000 men remained the same.
In fact, all the military combat units of the Russian troops located
in Armenia (especially the Air Force, Air Defense, intelligence, and
so on) are staffed with professionals. This significantly reduces
transportation costs, since earlier the government had to deliver by
air conscripts twice a year - though, apparently, that was not the
main motivation for increasing the combat readiness of troops.
Military experts explain that the accelerated transfer of the 102nd
base to the professional grounds is associated with a possible abrupt
change in the geopolitical situation there, which threatens Russia and
its allies. These scenarios are associated with the onset of possible
hostilities of Azerbaijan against Armenia because of the Karabakh
conflict, as well as possible military action by Israel against Iran.
The expert community has repeatedly voiced similar scenarios. In
September 2012 the Interaction-2012 military exercises of the CSTO
Collective Rapid Response Forces took place in Armenia. According to
the Defense Ministry, the exercises were linked to "the need to repel
the aggression of irregular armed groups that unlawfully invaded the
territory of the so-called Republic of Sevania, a member-state of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization". The Defense Ministry
explains: the exercises revealed the need to substantially increase
the quality of personnel training, which is directly related to its
transfer to the professional status. The contract soldiers of the 98th
Guards Airborne Division, transferred from Russia to Armenia by air,
demonstrated the necessary training quality during the
"Cooperation-2012" exercise. So, it is expected that the contract
soldiers and sergeants of the 102nd military base will be trained to
become equally professional.
Military expert General Lieutenant Yury Netkachov comments: "Whether
the Russian group will participate in possible military action to
repel aggression against Armenia is a political question. But
unequivocally it is clear that our military base there must be combat
ready, including readiness for peacekeeping operations".
In support of his thesis, the general cites a recent speech by
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, made at the January 15meeting of
the Cabinet of Ministers. Once again Aliyev said that while the
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is in progress, Baku, among other
means, such as diplomatic and economic, is ready to influence Yerevan
with military means. Netkachov believes that these are not just words,
because, according to Aliyev, "Azerbaijan's military budget is USD 3.7
billion, significantly higher than the total budget of Armenia". Over
the past five years, Azerbaijan military spending has increased more
than tenfold, and has exceeded 5% of the GDP. Netkachov insists: "This
is a relatively high level of military spending, and the indirect
evidence of preparations for military action".
Meanwhile, Russia does not only improve its military force in Armenia.
It intends to increase military cooperation with the ally. According
to sources in the RF Defense Ministry, the draft agreement between
Armenia and Russia includes plans to create a defense joint venture,
as well as training centers for border guards and specialists in
emergency situations. With Russia's support, the defense industry of
Armenia should become capable of producing some types of ammunition,
armored vehicles, as well as create a local repair facility not only
for Army weapons, but also for the Air Force and Air Defense. Two
Security Council Secretaries, Arthur Baghdasaryan and Nikolai
Patrushev, signed an appropriate protocol between the two countries at
a meeting in Yerevan on February 9, 2012. Currently, the agreement
with Armenia on MTC is entering the home stretch. According to our
sources, it will be signed early next month.
Commenting on the possibility of signing an agreement on
military-technical cooperation with Armenia, Director of the Center
for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Ruslan Pukhov said that
"until recently, there was a strange situation: Armenia was our ally
was, while we pumped Azerbaijan with arms. We hope that with the
agreement (...) this imbalance will be corrected". Pukhov believes
that "Azerbaijan is not always pursuing a friendly policy toward
Russia. In particular, we know that the Azerbaijanis refused to extend
the lease on the Gabala radar station on acceptable terms, and that
Russia will have to look for alternatives". According to Pukhov, by
enhancing relations with Armenia, Russia defends its interests in the
South Caucasus.
[Translated from Russian]