Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 2, 2006 Friday

RUSSIA’S FLAG OVER THE ARMENIAN MOUNTAINS;
The specific features of service on the border does not reduce the
102nd military base’s combat readiness

by Nikolai Pankratov

AN INTERVIEW WITH COLONEL ANDREI KHOLZAKOV, COMMANDER OF THE 102ND
MILITARY BASE; Colonel Andrei Kholzakov, commander of the 102nd
military base stationed in Armenia, answers the newspaper’s
questions.

Question: What are the tasks and status of the 102nd military base?

Answer: The 102nd base was created on the basis of the agreement
between Russia and Armenia. A former motorized infantry division is
the core of the base. As far as our tasks are concerned, we must
retain combat readiness and fulfill any order.

(…) Armenia has signed 45 international agreements in the military
sector with Russia. Our Defense Ministries signed the plan of
bilateral cooperation in 2006.

Question: What weapons does the base have?

Answer: We use standard weapons, like any other military unit
stationed in Russia. (…)

Question: The situation in the world may become unstable in
connection with the situation in Iran. What do you think about the
situation in the region?

Answer: I think that the situation is stable. Armenia’s attitude to
Russian servicemen is friendly.

(…)

Question: Combat training at the base is rather specific. What are
the priority tasks? What is the ratio of contract servicemen and
draftees?

Answer: We have both contract servicemen and draftees. We need
different approaches to their training. The priority task of combat
training is to teach servicemen to operate in the mountains. We have
very good firing ranges in the mountains. (…)

Question: How many Armenians do serve at the base?

Answer: Locals account for 30% of servicemen. (…) Around 10% of
officers are originally from Armenia. However, they are Russian
citizens. (…)

Question: What are Russia’s interests in this region? What are the
prospects of relations between Russia and Armenia?

Answer: There are no talks about the withdrawal of the base yet. It
will remain in Armenia during 15 years. Last summer we organized a
joint exercise with Armenia within the framework of the Collective
security treaty organization. We organize joint wargames.

(…)

Question: The press stated that part of military hardware withdrawn
from Georgia will be sent to the 102nd base. What can you say about
it?

Answer: This is a normal process. We have weapons, which need to be
replaced due to their deterioration.

Question: (…) What are the most topical problems? Do you have
enough contract servicemen?

Answer: (…) We are not involved in the federal program aimed at
implementing the contract system of recruitment yet. The share of
contract servicemen is around 25%. This is not much. These are
specialists who determine our combat readiness: drivers, technicians
and more. We have contract sergeants.

(…)

Question: What is the ratio of officers and graduates from military
sub-faculties of civil high schools?

Answer: The ratio is 50 to 50. Around 20% of them prolong their
contracts after two-year military service. (…)

Source: Voyenno-Promyshlenny Kuryer, No. 19, May 24-30, 2006, p. 7