Russia to withdraw troops from Armenian border
- 9 May, 13:11
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have agreed on the withdrawal of Russian military and border guards from several regions of Armenia at Yerevan’s request. The relevant agreement was reached on Thursday in Moscow. Armenia has asked Russian border guards to also leave their posts at the country's main airport in Yerevan from August 1.
However, Russian border guards will remain stationed on Armenia’s borders with Iran and Turkey “at the request of the Armenian side”, Russian Presidential press secretary Dmitry Pesko said.
“In the autumn of 2020, at the request of the Armenian side, our military and border guards were stationed in a number of Armenian regions. Pashinyan said that today, due to changed conditions, there is no longer such a need, so President Putin agreed, and the withdrawal of our military and border guards was agreed upon,” Peskov stated.
Peskov said that the decision was reached during a private meeting between Pashinyan and Putin at the Kremlin on Wednesday following a summit commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
On Thursday, Hayk Konjoryan, the leader of Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party's parliamentary faction, stated on Facebook that the agreement specified the withdrawal of Russian border guards and military installations from points in the Tavush, Syunik, Vayots Dzor, Gegharkunik, and Ararat regions.
Konjoryan further mentioned that Russia and Armenia had reached an agreement to discontinue the presence of Russian border guards at Yerevan's Zvartnots airport, a demand that Armenia's government had made in March.
