The Armenian Ministry of Defense has expressed its interest in expanding and increasing the capabilities of Russian military base number 102 in Gyumri.
Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan stated in an interview with Sputnik, "The issue of expanding and strengthening the Russian military base on the territory of the Republic of Armenia has always been on the agenda, and the Armenian side has always been interested in this for a simple reason: the base in its full capacity is part of the joint forces. It unites the military units of the Armed Forces of Armenia and Russia. Thus, expanding the capabilities of the base automatically necessitates building the potential of the joint group, which operates on a bilateral basis in the Caucasus for collective security."
He added, "Of course, the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense has taken into account the existing military and political reality in the region and has taken the right steps to strengthen and re-equip the base," and continued, "I am sure that this process will be long-term."
Azerbaijan and Armenia reached a ceasefire agreement in November 2020, under Russian mediation, ending a conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region that lasted about a month and a half. The agreement stipulates that Armenian and Azerbaijani forces stop at their current positions and that Russian peacekeeping forces be deployed along the contact line in Karabakh and the corridor connecting Armenia and Karabakh. The agreement also included lifting restrictions on transportation and transit, exchanging prisoners between the conflicting parties, and the return of displaced persons to Karabakh under the auspices of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
