ArmInfo.There are plans to double the combat potential of the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri, without increasing its number. This was stated by Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the RA Sergey Kopirkin at a press conference on December 24.
According to him, in the coming years serious steps will also be taken to develop the infrastructure of the 102nd base, and Armenian contractors will be involved in this process, which, accordingly, implies the creation of new jobs. Kopirkin also informed that measures had been taken to increase the level of combat training of the Russian military base in Gyumri. The ambassador noted the importance of close cooperation between Armenia and Russia in the field of security, emphasizing the role of military-technical cooperation, which is manifested, inter alia, by increasing the combat effectiveness of Armenia. The Russian military base is deployed in Armenia in accordance with the 1995 interstate agreement. In 2010, the document was amended according to which the period of its stay in the territory of Armenia from the initial 25 years was extended to 49 years, until 2044. The Protocol also provides for the expansion of its geographical and strategic responsibility. The base is equipped with S-300V, Buk-M1-2 air defense systems, MiG-29 fighters, Mi-8MT military transport helicopters and Mi-24P attack aircraft.
As Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu previously noted, the 102nd Russian military base is the guarantor of stability in the Caucasus region, and is ready, together with the Armenian Armed Forces, to confront existing security threats.