Serzh Sargsyan: There is no need to create new Russian military bases in Armenia   

ArmInfo. There is no need to create new Russian military bases in Armenia; it is enough "to give military power" to the current base, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan says in an interview with Rossiya Segodnya (Russia Today) director general Dmitry Kiselyov.       

"The current Russian military base has all opportunities to comprise all the elements that can be demanded.  Therefore, I think one base in small Armenia is quite enough. It is simply necessary to give a military power to it," Sargsyan says. 

To note, the 102nd Russian military base in Armenia in located in Gyumri, 126 km north of Yerevan. The base carries out its combat duty within the framework of the Joint CIS Air Defense System. On 20 August 2010, Russia and Armenia extended the agreement on deployment of the base till 2044. The protocol also envisages expansion of its geographic and strategic responsibility. The base is equipped with S-300 surface-to-airmissile systems and MiG-29 jet fighters.  

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Russian servicemen are responsible for issues related to the territory of Armenia, i.e. any external threat to Armenia will be considered as an external threat to Russia.