RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug 24 2004
ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN MILITARY EXERCISES BEGIN
YEREVAN, August 24 (RIA Novosti’s Gamlet Matevosyan) – Joint
Armenian-Russian military exercises have started at the Marshal
Bagramyan training ground near Armavir on Tuesday.
The Armenian enhanced motorized rifle regiment and servicemen from
the 102nd Russian military base stationed in Gyumri (Armenia) are
taking part in the exercises, Colonel Seiran Shakhsuvaryan, the press
secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry, told RIA Novosti.
Different branches of the armed forces including fighting and assault
aircraft and artillery will be involved in the exercises, which will
last until August 27.
The purpose of the exercises is to practice defensive interaction.
The 102nd Russian military base of the North Caucasian military
district in Gyumri (deployed in 1995) is on combat alert as part of
the CIS air defense system. There are 5,000 people stationed at the
base, which is equipped with a C-300 surface-to-air missile system
and MiG-29 fighters.