Armavir unit of Russian Border Troops marks 80th jubilee
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 30, 2004 Sunday

ARMAVIR (Armenia), May 30 – The Armavir unit of the Russian Border
Troops, which is stationed on the Armenian-Turkish frontier, is
celebrating the 80th jubilee.

The 26th separate border battalion was formed on the basis of the 2nd
division of the Red Army after the Soviet regime had been established
in Armenia. The battalion was transformed into a border unit on May
25, 1924. The unit command was moved to Yerevan, Artashat and later
on to Oktemberyan (currently Armavir).

Border unit commander Col. Sergei Kuklin said they had detained 904
border trespassers since 1943. Four Heroes of the Soviet Union served
with the unit.

The Armavir unit “has always been a school of courage, patriotism
and internationalism,” Commander of the Armenian Border Troops Col.
Vyacheslav Voksanyan said. Head of the Armavir regional administration
Albert Geroyan said that the local residents and authorities are
actively cooperating with Russian border guards. Local businessmen
sponsor the border unit.

Yerevan regards the presence of Russian border guards and a Russian
military base in Armenia as an important component of the national
security.