“It is a question why we should give one-fifth of the RA Armed Forces to Russian Federation.” Daniel Ioannisyan (Aravot.am)

Daniel Ioannisyan, Coordinator of the Union of Informed Citizens NGO, considers it unacceptable to include the Fifth Army Corps of Armenia into the group in the framework of creating a united group of Armenian troops, which in this case, according to Ioannisyan, will be under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation.  “During the war or a threat of war, it will fall under the RF Armed Forces.  The armed forces are topical and it is important whom they fall under during the war rather than in peacetime.  And it turns out that one of the five army corps of Armenia’s armed forces must fall under another state during the war or a threat of war. The Russian 102nd military base will also be in the united armed group, if not the military base, all Russian nuclear missiles join the military group, nothing is changed as it will fall under the Russian armed forces.  It is a question for me why we give one-fifth of the RA Armed Forces to Russia.  There will be our soldiers who will be citizens of Armenia who will be called up from Armenia, the equipment and their current expenditures will be generated from the budget of Armenia but in the case of war, they will fall under the subordination of Russia.  Is Russia short of the army?” said Daniel Ioannisyan in an interview with Аravot.am. His next question was the following: against whom will the united group of army act, “It is not against the Islamists in Syria or Iraq, they are far away, it might be against Georgia which is a big problem for me.  Just eight years ago, Russia was in war with Georgia, in fact, if there were a united army, then it would have immediately passed under the subordination of Russia, and good heavens if the Fifth Corps of the Army of Armenia would have appeared in the armed conflict with Georgia, it would be the end of Armenia, we would have reached the culmination of Armenia’s blockade which could lead to problems related to the preservation of the statehood of Armenia. On the other hand, a question arises that if this union is going to be against Turkey, so whether we are going to attack Turkey.  This is problematic – against whom.  Obviously, not against Azerbaijan, especially since the Fifth Army Corps is located in the northwest of Armenia, consequently, either against Turkey or Georgia.  I do not think that if Russia decides tomorrow to exacerbate the relations with Turkey, Armenia’s armed forces should be involved in the conflict.  Or for example, if Azerbaijan launches large-scale military actions against Armenia, should Russia give commands to the Fifth Army Corps of Armenia.  There is a great risk of how the corps is going to be used for the defense of Armenia.”

Arpine SIMONYAN