Thursday, September 13 2018 15:20

ArmInfo. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan visited the Defense Ministry during the Shant-2018 exercises.

"The main goal of the exercises is to test the actions of the state  administration bodies in the conditions of transition from peace  to  military operations, analyze the activities of all units, and  identify legislative gaps." The course and results of the exercises  will be analyzed and conclusions will be drawn, "Pashinyan said,  recalling that these are command-staff exercises.  According to him,  the scenario is based on the worst development of the situation, in  order to raise the level of preparation of state structures to the  highest level in the conditions of the transition from peace to war.   "Everything happens suddenly and, consequently, the scenario should  be designed in such a way as to prepare the state apparatus for  proper reaction, even to the worst case scenario, and to maintain the  efficiency of all state structures and the state's combat  capability." According to the scenario, we declared war, but did it  only after a war was declared on us - this is an important  clarification: Armenia is the guarantor of the security of Artsakh.  Of course, the military situation is mainly connected with the  Karabakh conflict and naturally, Nagorno Karabakh is fully  participating in this process and actions of Artsakh and its Armed  Forces are also considered in the scenario, "Pashinyan said, adding  that the scenario will not include episodes from the April war in  2016.

It is noteworthy that earlier during the exercises it was repeatedly  stated that Artsakh does not participate in the exercises, since it  is legally a different state.  Command and staff exercises are held  throughout the territory of Armenia from 11-14 September. Prime  Minister Nikol Pashinyan is the commander of the exercises.