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WHO EARNS RUSSIA'S PROTECTION?: READING BETWEEN THE LINES ON RECENT MILITARY OFFICIALS' COMMENTS
http://armenianow.com/news/49721/russian_military_armenia_weapons_azerbaijan
NEWS | 01.11.13 | 16:11
Photolure
Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
A Russian colonel's statement made in an interview with the Russian
defense ministry's official newspaper early last month - Armenian
media, however, covered the news only Thursday - has stirred unease
in Azerbaijan, as some interpreted it as a threat of war against
Azerbaijan by Russia.
Chief of the 102nd Russian military unit, Colonel Andrey Ruzinski
announced that if Azerbaijan attacks Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian
military mission in Armenia: "can be involved in the hostilities in
accordance with Russia's commitments within the CSTO frame."
Ruzinski also added that the Russian military unit in Armenia is
equipped with C-300B anti-ballistic missile, Smerch artillery, ътл
BUK-н1-2 anti-ballistic missile systems, zenith-missile division and
MIG-29 jet fighter aircrafts.
Azeri media interpreted it as a threat while head of Defense Ministry's
security department, Russian Major General Anatoli Vasyak said Thursday
night that the Russian military base would never get involved in the
Karabakh conflict, as Nagorno Karabakh is not Russian or Armenian
territory; hence has no connection to Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO), haqqin.az reports.
Prior to Ruzinsky's statement, Armenian experts shared the opinion
that the CSTO agreement had nothing to do with active hostilities
directly in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh.
Political analyst Tigran Abrahamyan says in reference to Ruzinsky's
statement that it is interesting that Anatoly Vyborny, the Russian
chairman of the committee on defense and security of CSTO Parliamentary
Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, pointed
to the fact that Russia has been selling large amounts of weaponry
to Armenia's arch-foe Azerbaijan: "During today's meeting an issue
was raised to the effect on whether it's time to work out a legal
mechanism that would prevent such supplies in the future."
According to the analyst, in this way Russia is trying to emphasize the
seriousness of its relations with Armenia, especially after Armenia's
September 3 decision on joining the Customs Union.
"To some degree this was an answer not only to the periodical bellicose
rhetoric on Azerbaijan's part, but also the aggressive steps on the
border, especially frequent recently. Moreover, the Russian side
states openly that any incursion against Armenia and Karabakh, be it
by separate incidents or large-scale hostilities, is a threat against
Russia," says the analyst.
From: A. Papazian
http://armenianow.com/news/49721/russian_military_armenia_weapons_azerbaijan
NEWS | 01.11.13 | 16:11
Photolure
Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
A Russian colonel's statement made in an interview with the Russian
defense ministry's official newspaper early last month - Armenian
media, however, covered the news only Thursday - has stirred unease
in Azerbaijan, as some interpreted it as a threat of war against
Azerbaijan by Russia.
Chief of the 102nd Russian military unit, Colonel Andrey Ruzinski
announced that if Azerbaijan attacks Nagorno-Karabakh, the Russian
military mission in Armenia: "can be involved in the hostilities in
accordance with Russia's commitments within the CSTO frame."
Ruzinski also added that the Russian military unit in Armenia is
equipped with C-300B anti-ballistic missile, Smerch artillery, ътл
BUK-н1-2 anti-ballistic missile systems, zenith-missile division and
MIG-29 jet fighter aircrafts.
Azeri media interpreted it as a threat while head of Defense Ministry's
security department, Russian Major General Anatoli Vasyak said Thursday
night that the Russian military base would never get involved in the
Karabakh conflict, as Nagorno Karabakh is not Russian or Armenian
territory; hence has no connection to Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO), haqqin.az reports.
Prior to Ruzinsky's statement, Armenian experts shared the opinion
that the CSTO agreement had nothing to do with active hostilities
directly in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh.
Political analyst Tigran Abrahamyan says in reference to Ruzinsky's
statement that it is interesting that Anatoly Vyborny, the Russian
chairman of the committee on defense and security of CSTO Parliamentary
Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, pointed
to the fact that Russia has been selling large amounts of weaponry
to Armenia's arch-foe Azerbaijan: "During today's meeting an issue
was raised to the effect on whether it's time to work out a legal
mechanism that would prevent such supplies in the future."
According to the analyst, in this way Russia is trying to emphasize the
seriousness of its relations with Armenia, especially after Armenia's
September 3 decision on joining the Customs Union.
"To some degree this was an answer not only to the periodical bellicose
rhetoric on Azerbaijan's part, but also the aggressive steps on the
border, especially frequent recently. Moreover, the Russian side
states openly that any incursion against Armenia and Karabakh, be it
by separate incidents or large-scale hostilities, is a threat against
Russia," says the analyst.
From: A. Papazian