When the Soviet Union collapsed, Russian peacekeepers (Border Service) were stationed at Armenia’s Zvartnots International Airport as a temporary measure to protect the vital import/export hub. That was in 1992.
However, last week Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan announced that the peacekeepers were no longer welcome. This followed two weeks ago when Armenia’s President announced the withdrawal from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), mostly due to Russian inaction on the seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. Moscow blamed the West for malign influence on Yerevan.
Today, the Armenian government has provided an official timeline for the Russian troops to leave the airport: August 1st. In a press conference Prime Minister Pashinyan told press:
”We did not appeal to the Russian side, but simply informed that we made such a decision. The deadline is August 1, 2024. Moreover, we perceive this as a working process, not a political or geopolitical one,” said the Prime Minister.”
It is not clear if this will also include the other peacekeepers stationed throughout the country.
