In a significant turn of events, Russia has consented to withdraw some of its military forces and border guards from Armenia, marking a momentous shift in the decades-long relationship between the two former Soviet states. This development, announced by the Kremlin, comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions and a recalibration of Yerevan’s foreign policy stance.
The announcement was made following a meeting in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. “Pashinyan said that now, due to the changed conditions, there is no longer such a requirement. President Putin agreed and the withdrawal of our military and border guards was agreed,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
This decision to remove troops from various Armenian regions, cited by Russian state media and confirmed by Peskov, is a response to the “changed conditions” since Russian forces were deployed at Armenia’s request in the autumn of 2020. Despite this withdrawal, Russian border guards will continue to be stationed on Armenia’s frontiers with Turkey and Iran.
The agreement entails the removal of Russian military and border posts from five Armenian regions—installations that were established after the six-week war with Azerbaijan in 2020. Notably, however, the deal does not seem to affect Russia’s significant military base in Gyumri, which houses roughly 3,000 troops.
Armenia’s evolving foreign policy direction is underscored by its recent actions, which include effectively freezing its membership in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and joining the International Criminal Court (ICC). The latter move requires Armenia to arrest Putin under an ICC warrant issued for war crimes charges if he enters Armenian territory.
This withdrawal coincides with Pashinyan’s efforts to broker a border demarcation and delimitation agreement with Azerbaijan, signaling Yerevan’s intent to resolve longstanding territorial disputes following the 2020 war over Nagorno-Karabakh. The altered geopolitical landscape is further reflected in Armenia’s growing alignment with the West, as seen by joint military exercises with U.S. forces, support for Ukraine, and hints at a potential European Union membership bid in the future.
Long convoys of Russian military vehicles were seen retreating from the Armenian border regions toward the capital, Yerevan, demonstrating the physical manifestation of Moscow’s scaling back in the region.
Russia’s decision to partially withdraw from Armenia signifies a recalibration in the South Caucasus’s security dynamics, where Moscow has traditionally held sway. It is a reflection of Armenia’s discontent with the CSTO’s inaction during Azerbaijan’s offensive and a broader shift towards Western alliances.
Relevant articles:
– Putin agrees to withdraw Russian forces from various Armenian regions, reuters.com, 05/10/2024
– Russia to withdraw troops from Armenia’s border, POLITICO Europe, 05/09/2024
– Putin, Pashinian Agree On Withdrawal Of Russian Troops From Some Armenian Regions, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 05/09/2024
– Russia To Withdraw All Troops In Armenia, Strategic News Global, 05/09/2024
– Russia Agrees to Remove Some Troops, Border Guards From Armenia, The Moscow Times, 05/09/2024