Kosachev: Regional system of air defense will not be used in case of  escalation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 

ArmInfo. Regional system of air defense will protect the territory and air space of Armenia only, Deputy Defense Minister of Russia Nikolay Pankov informed at the  session of the Council of the Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs  answering to question of the Chairperson of the Committee Konstantin  Kosachev what will happen in case of regular escalation of the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and whether the system will not be used  principally or there are some options. 

According to Pankov the agreement contains answer to the given  question, the agreement functions on the territory and air space of  Armenia. In his turn Kosachev noted that Nagorno Karabakh is not part  of Armenia that is why the systems of air defense will not be used  there. 

On December 21 the Committee on Foreign Affairs approved ratification  of the agreement between Russia and Armenia on establishing United  Regional System of Air Defense in Caucasus region of collective  security. The Russian State Duma ratified the document on December  14. 

To recall, on October 23, 2015, the Russian Government approved the  agreement on creation of a joint air defense system with Armenia in  the Caucasus region of collective security. The document was  submitted for the Russian President's ratification. The Russian  President announced the creation of the air defense system in  November 2013. On November 11, Russia's President Vladimir Putin  ordered to sign agreement between Russia and Armenia on creating  joint air defense system with Armenia in the Caucasus region of  collective security. On December 23, 2015, Armenia's Defense Minister  Seyran Ohanyan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu signed an  agreement on creation of a joint air defense system with Armenia in  the Caucasus region of collective security. Some Armenian military  experts think the joint air defense system is already operating,  given the presence of the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri,  Russian S-300 systems and MiG-29 planes, as well as the joint command  system in the North Caucasus.   

The document creates a legal basis for joint use of troops in air  defense. The agreement envisages creation of the regional system as a  constituent part of the integrated system of air defense of CIS  member countries. 

According to the document the coordination of joint actions of the  system and the forces parts of other regional systems is implemented  by the Chief Commander of Air-Space Forces of Russian Armed Forces  while the joint actions are headed by the commander of troops of the  Southern military district of Russia.