Russia and Armenia will create joint group of forces in Caucasus
Russia and Armenia intend to create a joint group of forces. The corresponding document was published on Tuesday on the official Internet portal of the Russian governmemnt for legal information.
“The parties will create a joint group of troops (forces) of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in order to ensure security of parties in the Caucasus region of collective security,” stated the draft agreement between the two countries. The document is awaiting a signature from the Russian president.
The regulatory document outlines the procedures of putting the troops and equipment from both countries on high alert and putting the transfer, deployment and use of national units under the control of the Joint Command.
The regulation is attached to the present agreement and it is its integral part, the draft agreement said. The draft agreement between the two countries was submitted to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and was agreed upon by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other concerned federal executive authorities.
The protection of the state borders of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia jointly, with forces and equipment from the system of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, was determined to be one of the main tasks in the regulation on the joint group of troops.
The Joint Command has been created to manage the joint group of troops. The commander of the Joint Command can be appointed and dismissed by the supreme commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia in agreement with the supreme commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In times of peace, the commander is subordinate to the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.
In a period of direct threat of aggression and wartime, the commander is subordinate to the commander of the forces of the Southern Military District of the Russian Army or the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, depending on the situation and the decision of the supreme commanders-in-chief of the armed forces of both countries.