Moscow increases its military presence on Armenia, a Yerevan-based Haykakan Zhamanak Daily writes. The process was increasing the manpower at the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri, Armenia, was launched yet several weeks ago. Now, Russia is going to increase the number of Russian frontier-guards on the border crossing in Bavra.
Meanwhile, according to ArmInfo's sources, the Russian command began evicting the residents of the "8th quarter" in Gyumri to place there the families of the new contingent of the 102nd military base. According to ArmInfo's sources, the manpower will be increased up to 8,000 people.
The Russian 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia, is part of the Transcaucasian Group of Forces. The military base is part of a joint air defense system of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which was deployed in Armenia in 1995. There are nearly 5,000 Russian soldiers, MiG-29s and S-300 air defense systems in the base. In August 2010 an Additional Protocol to the Treaty of 1995 was signed and the responsibility area of the 102nd base was expanded over the entire territory of Armenia.