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.