Hot  debates  in Armenian Parliament over creating  the United Group  of Armenian-Russian troops: Block Yelk considers the document  humiliating and "vassal"

ArmInfo.Armenian Parliament started to discuss agreement on creating United Group of Armenian-Russian troops.

According to the statement of the  Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia  Artak Davtyan from the platform of Parliament, the agreement was  signed in November 2016 by the heads of the defense departments of  the two states. The main task of the group is to cover the overland  part of the state border of Russia and Armenia, including jointly  with the forces and means of the CSTO collective security system. The  agreement envisages the creation of a unified grouping of the two  countries in the Caucasus region of collective security. The created  structure should ensure an adequate response to an armed attack, as  well as other challenges and threats to the security of the parties.  The commander of the group is appointed Supreme Commander-in-Chief of  the Armed Forces of Armenia in agreement with the Supreme  Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Russia.

Directives of operational control to the commander of the group are  developed by the headquarters of the Southern Military District of  Russia and the operational department of the General Staff of  Armenia, after which they are vetted by the chiefs of the General  Staff of both sides. In peacetime, the commander of the group reports  to the General Staff of Armenia, and in wartime, as agreed by the  parties, it is also possible to reassign the commander of the  Southern Military District of Russia. The material and technical and  financial support of their troops (forces) allocated to the combined  group, creation and replenishment of stocks of material resources to  the agreed standards are carried out by the parties independently. In  cases where the material and technical support of the troops is  difficult, replenishment of stocks of materiel, the restoration of  weapons and military equipment, the performance of other logistical  support activities can be carried out at the expense of one of the  parties, while replenishment of the spent material means, subsequent  mutual settlements for the provided material means and services are  carried out by additional agreement between the authorized bodies.

Against the signing of this agreement were the deputies from the  opposition bloc "Elk", who advocate for Armenia's withdrawal from the  Eurasian Economic Union. Representatives of the bloc, in particular,  believe that such agreements jeopardize the sovereignty of Armenia,  plunging the republic into even greater dependence on Russia. Thus,  the head of the bloc faction Nikol Pashinyan stated that the more  Russia neglects the interests of Armenia and deepens  military-strategic cooperation with such countries as Azerbaijan and  Turkey, the more actively the leadership of the RA led by Serzh  Sargsyan goes on signing such "humiliating documents" with Moscow.  "Serzh Sargsyan completely lost the security component of Armenia  from Russia's submission. After every next military deal of Russia  with Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia signs a new humiliating contract  with Moscow, placing it under direct dependence of the Russian  Federation. And what does Russia do, supplies S-400 air defense  systems of Turkey, which, of course, if necessary, will use them in  Azerbaijan's interests, in that case our Iskanders will turn into a  toy, "Pashyanin said, Serzh Sargsyan's coming to power inherited from  Vazgen Sargsyan's most efficient army of the region remained only in  words.

To recall, on March 15, 2017, the presidents of Russia and Armenia -  Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsyan - announced on the results of the  talks in the Kremlin that the created Joint Group of Forces of the  two countries was highly appreciated. "The Russian Federation and the  Republic of Armenia will strengthen the role of the Collective  Security Treaty Organization as a guarantor of the security of its  member states, contribute to increasing its contribution to  international efforts to counter the challenges and threats to  security," the statement said. - In this context, the creation of the  Joint Group of Forces (Forces) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of  Armenia and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is of great  importance. "