Armenia ratifies agreement on joint air-defence system with Russia
01.07.2016 10:00
Armenia's parliament on Thursday voted to ratify an Armenian-Russian agreement to create a joint air-defence system which opponents fear gives too much control to Moscow.
Armenian officials say the new system will enable the inclusion of the Russian Air Force's full range of capabilities, including multifunction fighter jets, into joint regional air defence.
"It will allow us to have serious reconnaissance data, which will be in the common informational field and will prevent all violations by adversaries," Armenian Defence Minister Seyran Ohanyan said on Wednesday.
"In this matter, we do not see any reliable partner other than Russia."
The air-defence agreement does not apply to Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia is embroiled in a long-standing conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the region.
A war between Azerbaijan and Armenian-backed separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh ended with a fragile truce in 1994, which for many years was marred by only sporadic violence. But the ceasefire was shattered in early April with the fiercest fighting in years, killing dozens of people on both sides.
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