YEREVAN. – In Syunik Province, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday visited a reservists’ training ground where combat-readiness exercises are conducted within the framework of the ongoing strategic military exercises in Armenia. Pashinyan was accompanied by Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan, Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Minister Suren Papikyan, and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Artak Davtyan.
The premier toured the tent camp of this training ground, got familiarized with the living and dining conditions of the reservists, followed their training, and watched the exercises in weapons’ use, the PM’s press service informed.
“Unprecedented-scale military exercises in the history of our republic are taking place in the Republic of Armenia these days,” Pashinyan said, in particular, addressing the participants of these military trainings. “Their practical objective is to assess the degree of combat-readiness of not only our Armed Forces, but also of our society in general. (…). Their results are more than satisfactory. Another army equivalent to the existing army has formed in the Republic of Armenia in just 24 hours; that is, the number of our Armed Forces has doubled.
“These military exercises have given us confidence that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia are combat-ready, that the public of the Republic of Armenia are combat-ready, and that together we can fulfill the tasks set before us in organizing the defense of the Republic of Armenia—of our homeland.
“In fact, with these military exercises we also check to what degree there is interaction between the public administration and local self-government bodies.
“As a result of these military exercises, our country has shown its combat-readiness, it shows its viability, and shows an exceptionally high degree of state-government-community cooperation and trust.”
Afterwards, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a working consultation with the command of the army and the administration of Syunik Province, during which military matters were discussed.
Subsequently, the premier, accompanied by Suren Papikyan and Sisian town mayor Artur Sargsyan, toured this town and spoke with its residents. Also, the Sisian development plans were presented to him.
Also in Sisian, PM Pashinyan laid flowers at the monument to the fallen victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) War, and visited the Surb Hovhannes (St. John’s) Church.