YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS. The arming of the 102nd Russian Military Base in Armenia and the Armenian Armed Forces is one of the important directions of strengthening the security of Armenia and generally the CSTO, Joint Chief of Staff of the security bloc General Anatoly Sidorov said at a news conference when asked what measures the CSTO is planning to take in the region given the escalation of the American-Iranian relations.

“The strengthening of the 102nd Russian military base stationed in Armenia and the arming of the Armenian troops isn’t done randomly,” Sidorov said.

Sidorov noted that the CSTO charter and strategy, nevertheless, mentions the strenghening of national troops and formations as the primary source of raising the organizations potential.

“Another factor of strengthening is the training of the organization’s troops in the Caucasian region itself. This year we have planned a number of operational events that will take place in the region,” Sidorov said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan