YEREVAN (Azatutyun.am)—Defense Ministers Sergey Shoygu of Russia and Davit Tonoyan of Armenia agreed on fresh arms deals at their latest talks held in Moscow, the Armenian Defense Ministry indicated on Sunday.
The ministry spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisyan, said they discussed, among other things, Russian-Armenian “military-technical cooperation,” an official euphemism for arms production and supplies.
“Davit Tonoyan and Sergey Shoygu reached a number of important agreements on the implementation of bilateral military-political, military and military-technical programs,” Hovannisyan wrote on his Facebook page. He did not give any details of those understandings.
Hovannisyan said the two ministers also agreed on the importance of continuing joint actions by their armed forces and “reinforcing the combat readiness” of Russian troops stationed in Armenia.
A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry likewise said “joint projects of military and military-technical cooperation” were on the agenda of Saturday’s talks but did not elaborate. It quoted as Shoygu noting “the strategic level of relations” between the Russian and Armenian militaries.
The Russian minister also praised more than 80 Armenian demining experts, army medics and other non-combat military personnel serving in Syria in close coordination with the Russian military.
Russian and Armenian defense officials signed unpublicized agreements on fresh Russian arms supplies to Armenian at the end of a five-day session of a joint commission on “military-technical cooperation” held in Yerevan in early June.
The session began four days after the head of Russia’s Rosoboronexport state arms exporter, Alexander Mikheyev, visited Yerevan and met with Tonoyan. The two men also held talks in Moscow in late April. Tonoyan said afterwards that Armenia will continue to acquire Russian weapons “very vigorously.”
In February, Yerevan confirmed the signing of a Russian-Armenian contract for the purchase of four Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets to the Armenian Air Force. The multirole jets are due to be delivered by the beginning of 2020. The Armenian Defense Ministry plans to buy more such Russian warplanes in the following years.
Russia has long been the principle supplier of weapons and other military equipment to the Armenian army.
No need for formal agreements. As a Russian oblast, Armenia is well positioned in the southern Caucasus. Turkey’s S-400 purchase is no match to Russia’s 102nd military base in Gyumri. Russia is Armenia and Armenia is Russia. There is no time for nonsense slogans such as ազատ, անկախ հայաստան.
I agree with you, NO country on earth is ազատ.
I understand your sentiments, and agree, but I also tried to keep up with history. As I recall, Armenia always had allies. They allied with the Mongols, Byzantines and the Georgians and sacked Baghdad, In just about every military campaign, the Armenians had allies, be it the Parthians, Romans, Vikings, Byzantines, Muslims, the Crusaders, etc. Russia is just another post to lean on. We need to become more adept at using our diplomatic and technical strengths better. The underpopulation issue is worrisome. Good progress in almost every other field so far.
And Russia will sell S400 Missile defense system to turkey and Azerbaijan profitable buiseness for Putin
Profitable for Armenia too, they get weapons at a discount from Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan are financing Armenian defences.
Those missiles are incredibly sophisticated. I suspect that whomever made them also included a remote kill and destroy option. After all, things do go wrong and no one wants to incur damage from their own launch. So I am not so worried about the S400 Russian missiles being used against Russia and its allies.
Russia did the same thing in Syria when they gave Assad s300 Missile and gave its codes to Israel now what Armenia wants to do with those fighter jets liberate stolen armenian lands
Armenia will soon be at war with Turkey !.
Arn.Sweden.
I keep asking how needs more Russia needs Armenia ore Armenia needs Russia in my humble opinion
Russia needs Armenia more at this time the only access to caucuses for Russians is Armenia if Armenia go’s
to west Russia will get cut from caucuses and they border will begin from Russia they will keep supplies as with weapon
as long as the they needs as the day they don’t need as we are on the mercy of Azerbaijan and turkey
Good help Armenia
There is no such thing as permanent friends or permanent enemies —there are only permanent interests. (American saying), if you don’t trust Russia, you can try the West.
Did they come to “an agreement” on how Russia will warn Armenia next time Azerbaijan was planning a massive military offensive? Yeah not…
If yes, what you want, you want them to announce at CNN that Russia will warn Armenia next time Azerbaijan plans a massive military offensive?
Its a rhetorical question Raffi..How about jut telling the Armenian side, you know their supposed partner in the Caucuses….. NO CNN necessary…
I doubt that they knew, but if they did call, the generals were busy feeding their emaciated animals stolen army rations, or gambling someplace.