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RUSSIA DEPLOYS ADVANCED MISSILES TO ARMENIA
EurasiaNet.org, NY
June 3 2013
June 3, 2013 - 2:40pm, by Joshua Kucera
Russia has deployed an advanced new missile system to its base in
Armenia,amid deteriorating relations with Armenia's rival, Azerbaijan.
A source in Armenia's Defense Ministry confirmed to RFE/RL's Armenian
service the deployment of "several" Iskander-M systems.
The Iskander-M is a relatively new Russian mobile (truck-mounted)
theater ballistic missile system, comparable to the infamous Scud but
with a longer range (400 km) and more accurate.
The Iskanders will be stationed at Russia's base in Gyumri, so it's
not clear whether or not they would be a factor in any war between
Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory they both claim but which
Armenian forces control, Nagorno Karabakh. It's impossible not to see
the deployment in the light of the recent chill in Azerbaijan-Russia
relations, including the apparent cancellation of fighter aircraft
deliveries. Emil Sanamyan, a keen observer of Armenia-Azerbaijan
defense issues and Washington editor of the Armenian Reporter, tells
The Bug Pit that "I see it as an effort to build up deterrence against
the war in Nagorno Karabakh and also to increase the Russian footprint
in the Caucasus, particularly in light of the closure of the Gabala
radar." [Gabala, recall, was the Russian radar that Azerbaijan hosted
until the two sides failed to agree on an extension of the terms.]
It's also the case that Russia is upgrading its equipment across the
board, so this may just be part of a regular update with no
geopolitical implications. But you can bet that in Baku they are
looking closely at this.
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67062
EurasiaNet.org, NY
June 3 2013
June 3, 2013 - 2:40pm, by Joshua Kucera
Russia has deployed an advanced new missile system to its base in
Armenia,amid deteriorating relations with Armenia's rival, Azerbaijan.
A source in Armenia's Defense Ministry confirmed to RFE/RL's Armenian
service the deployment of "several" Iskander-M systems.
The Iskander-M is a relatively new Russian mobile (truck-mounted)
theater ballistic missile system, comparable to the infamous Scud but
with a longer range (400 km) and more accurate.
The Iskanders will be stationed at Russia's base in Gyumri, so it's
not clear whether or not they would be a factor in any war between
Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory they both claim but which
Armenian forces control, Nagorno Karabakh. It's impossible not to see
the deployment in the light of the recent chill in Azerbaijan-Russia
relations, including the apparent cancellation of fighter aircraft
deliveries. Emil Sanamyan, a keen observer of Armenia-Azerbaijan
defense issues and Washington editor of the Armenian Reporter, tells
The Bug Pit that "I see it as an effort to build up deterrence against
the war in Nagorno Karabakh and also to increase the Russian footprint
in the Caucasus, particularly in light of the closure of the Gabala
radar." [Gabala, recall, was the Russian radar that Azerbaijan hosted
until the two sides failed to agree on an extension of the terms.]
It's also the case that Russia is upgrading its equipment across the
board, so this may just be part of a regular update with no
geopolitical implications. But you can bet that in Baku they are
looking closely at this.
http://www.eurasianet.org/node/67062