MOSCOW, Russia (A.W.)—On June 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an order appointing Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov as the Russian President’s official representative to the joint military force with the Armenian Armed Forces.
In Nov. 2016, the Defense Ministers of Russia and Armenia, Sergey Shoygu and Vigen Sargsyan, signed an agreement establishing joint troops between the two countries in a deal approved by President Putin a month earlier.
After the signing of the agreement, the Armenian Defense Minister had stated that the combined troops will be deployed at the 102nd Russian Military Base in Gyumri. “The main task of the United Group of Troops is to identify preparation of military aggression against Armenia and Russia in a timely manner and to repel it jointly with the armed forces of Armenia and Russia,” said Sargsyan.
Azerbaijani lawmakers condemned last year’s Russian-Armenian agreement, stating that it shows proof of Russian support for Armenia in the Artsakh conflict.
According to Putin’s June 27 order, the commander of the joint group is appointed by the Supreme commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Russia. The directives of the operative management addressed to the group are drafted by the southern military district of Russia and operative department of the General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces. In peaceful time, the commander of the group is accountable to the General Staff of Armenia, while during times of war the commander may also be accountable to the Commander of Southern Military District of Russia.
A joint Russian Armenian force. A Russian military base in Armenia. Then people wonder why the US doesn’t supply more money, weapons etc to Armenia!?!?!?
You mean the United States punishes Armenia for having her own independent foreign policy? What you fail to understand is the fact that the Russia-Armenia alliance is nothing new, it existed for centuries and it exists today to balance the power in the region and to keep the genocidal Turkey across the border in check. If you have issues with the Russians and punish Armenia by association then what do you think the Armenians should think of the Americans for having an alliance with Turkey, the ONLY Terrorist Muslim NATO member state in the world, which uses this alliance with the United States and the west to get away with mass extermination and genocide of 1,500,000 Armenians since 1915? When was the last time the United States spoke up against Terrorist Turkey for the illegal blockade of Armenia for the last 34 years with no provocation from Armenia?
If you view Armenia as “guilty” by association with your “perceived” Russian adversary, whose military bases exist in Armenia to thwart off existential Turkish threat to Armenia, how should we then view the United States for turning a blind eye on the crime of genocide committed against the Armenians by her Terrorist Turkish NATO ally?
As the old saying goes: People who live in glass houses don’t throw stones!
Really? Are you suggesting that had there not been a joint Russian Armenian force, a Russian military base, Russian deliveries of oil, gas, and nuclear fuel to Armenia, the US would rush to supply money, weapons, etc, to Armenia? Сome down to earth from the clouds… And, one more thing, do the joint Russian Armenian force and the Russian military base also prevent the US from recognizing the Armenian genocide?
“Proud to be an American”
If you are not proud to be an Armenian, why do you write here then ? You seem not to know Armenias history. Without the support of Russian forces Turks and Azeris would surely again attack the Armenians.Russia surely is not dependent on Armenian Military if attacked by the aggressive Americans. Try to explain to which country American aggression was helpful in the last decades. I am convinced that many EU countries would like to work together with Russia, if there was not Americas NATO pressure all the time. Who wants to have US-weapons, if he only has to support the US-aggression against other people with these weapons ?
I have the same concerns about this alliance. I am very leary about Putin’s actions. He sells military equipment to Azerbaijan, we are subject to his commander in chief during war. We should solicit closer alliance with the U.S. Not turn into an alienated country from the U.S. That’s what Putin would want. Considering his actions in Syria, It’s not the wisest choice to align with Putin.
Why do I write here?? This is the US. We have a 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech. Do you not recognize that right?
Do you think the Russian military is in Armenia to ward off Turkey. That’s not history. Russia, having been invaded in 19th and 20th centuries understands the psychological impact of being invaded. Last century and this it has followed a policy of controlling countries on their borders so that any future land engagement will be fought on another nation’s soil and not on Russian soil. Russia will not go to war with the west for Armenia,
“repel it jointly with the armed forces of Armenia and Russia”. I wouldn’t hold my breath. Russia will do what’s in its best interest, period. I would put my trust in the Armenian military first. Unity is the answer. One Armenia.
Aggressive Americans! Was it America who ended the First Armenian Republic? Was it America who turned Armenian Churches into barns? Was it America who subjugated the Armenian people? Was it America who tried to make Russian the primary language?
Are the Russians the Armenian protectors? Are not the Russians arming Azerbaijan? Russia does not want peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It wants unrest so that both nations depend on Russia and dependence furthers the Russian goal of pulling both into the Russian orb of influence. Russia’s interest is Russia as it should be. Do not think there are any noble principles behind whatever assistance Russia may give Armenia.
To those who have cast aspersions on America’s failure to recognize the Armenian Genocide, I say you are correct. It is a disgraceful failure made worse by former President Obama’s deliberate deception when twice seeking votes for the presidency although both times he strongly hinted that the long overdue recognition would be forthcoming. At least 46 of the American states have acted on moral principles and recognized the Genocide. Several, including New York State have incorporated the Genocide into the state Social Studies curriculum. Let us hope and pray the federal government will do the right thing sooner rather than later.
To which nations has Soviet/Russian aggression been helpful over the decades? Let us not forget the Soviets were Russians. If the Russian aggression was so beneficial, why did evert former “Soviet Socialistic Republic” hasten to declare independence when the USSR was forced to its knees. If it was so beneficial, why was Armenia the first to declare its independence? Russia under whatever name/government acts to further Russian interests. Every nation does the same. Let no one think a major power has a smaller nation’s best interests at heart when it, in theory, aids the smaller, weaker nation.
To someone posting under the penname “Proud to be an American” (go post in Huffpost, then, why are you here?):
{Aggressive Americans! Was it America who ended the First Armenian Republic?}
No. But it was America that dropped atomic bombs on civilian population in Japan and launched airstrikes on civilians in Vietnam, Cambodia and Yugoslavia.
{Was it America who turned Armenian Churches into barns?}
No. But America, along with other Western nations, knew too well that the annihilation of race was underway, but did nothing to stop it.
{Was it America who subjugated the Armenian people?}
The Armenian people? No. But the Native American Indian populations, yes.
{Was it America who tried to make Russian the primary language?}
Russian was the language of inter-ethnic communication. Understandably, in a multi-ethnic, multi-national state there should have been a language so that various nations could communicate. This said, no one encroached on Armenian language. There were Armenian schools, Armenian institutions of higher learning, Armenian literature, Armenian theater, Armenian cinema, etc.
{Are the Russians the Armenian protectors?}
Based on bilateral military cooperation agreements and the CSTO treaty, yes. Has America protected Georgia back in 2008 when America’s partner-state and a NATO-member candidate entered a war against South Ossetia and suffered consequences from Russia?
{Are not the Russians arming Azerbaijan?}
Only to assist in maintaining a military balance in the region. Are not Americans arming both Israel and the Arab states?
{Russia does not want peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia’s interest is Russia as it should be.}
Bravo… I should like to see one country or a nation during the entire history of the mankind that sincerely wanted peace between its immediate neighbors and did not apply the principle of “divide and rule” to smaller states. Any country pursues self-serving interests. America in # 1 in this.
{To which nations has Soviet/Russian aggression been helpful over the decades?}
What “Soviet/Russian aggression” over the decades? Except for Afghanistan in the late-1970s-early 1908s as a preemptive measure against the potential American ground invasion, where else have you seen “Soviet/Russian aggression”?
{Let us not forget the Soviets were Russians.}
Let us study history first and familiarize ourselves with the commonly known fact that the prevailing majority of people in the higher echelons of power in Soviet Russia were non-Russians, mainly Jews.
{If the Russian aggression was so beneficial, why did ever former “Soviet Socialistic Republic” hasten to declare independence when the USSR was forced to its knees.}
You should read a whole lot to have the slightest idea as to why and how the Soviet Union was brought down before jumping to ridiculous conclusions.
{If it was so beneficial, why was Armenia the first to declare its independence?}
Again, go educate yourself first. Armenia was never the first to declare independence from the USSR. Armenia boycotted the referendum on the future of the Soviet Union in 1991. In fact, around 73% of voters throughout the Soviet Union supported the preservation of the Union.
{Russia under whatever name/government acts to further Russian interests. Every nation does the same.}
The only sober-minded statement, of which the mankind was painfully aware for long-long time, in the stream of verbiage above.