The Yerevan Doctrine to Give Russia Command of Armenian Armed Forces

OP-ED

The Kremlin is creating a new geostrategic triangle. The fresh impromptu from President Putin called the Yerevan Doctrine is about unifying Sokhumi, Tskhinvali and Guimry under Russian arms. According to the doctrine, Armenia as a country won’t be having its own army in case of war, not to say anything about the military units in the occupied territories, which are already part of the Russian army. Mr. Putin has already signed the decree and only formal procedures are left to be sorted, specifically Official Yerevan has to sign the agreement.

A few weeks ago the so-called Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Summit was held, a union of Russian, Armenian, Kazakhstani, Kyrgyzstani, Tajikistani, and Uzbekistani military bodies. This is something like a Russian analogy of the NATO military bloc. Like NATO, CSTO member countries are obliged to support each other in case of war. However, as the last military controversy between Armenia and Azerbaijan showed, that article didn’t quite work.  Nobody expressed even verbal support to Armenia, not to say anything about military, well, apart from some comments from the Kremlin.

In order to avoid such uncertainties, Mr. Putin has decided to create the abovementioned Yerevan Doctrine, according to which Moscow and Yerevan will create a mutual union in the South Caucasus for the security of both parties.  In peacetime the union will be subordinated to the Chief of General Staff of Armenia, while during the military conflicts it will be under control of the Russian Military District Commander.

Moreover, the so-called Ministry of Defense of South Ossetia stated that from now on the local Ossetians will serve in the Russian military unit, meaning the one located in the occupied territory. All this means that Moscow is creating a hateful, formally Ossetian, but in reality Russian army on the occupied territory of Georgia. The regulation suggests that the decisions will be made by the Chief Commanders of “South Ossetia” and Russia. But who believes that Mr. Putin will take into consideration the opinions of Lyudvig Chibirov? The same announcement was made by the so-called Ministry of Defense of Abkhazia when Official Sokhumi declared that a mutual military unit, with an 800-soldier military detachment and artillery and anti-aircraft installations will be created on the occupied territory.

Apparently, after President Trump was seen wandering through the White House, Mr. Putin believes that the time for strengthening and deepening the military ties has come. He probably thinks that Trump will be that very President who will understand Russia’s ways and would want to cooperate with him. All this resembles nothing other than buffoonery, but the key thing is that some believe that according to Yerevan’s Top Secret military doctrine, which was approved at the CSTO Summit, the military troops located in “South Ossetia” and Abkhazia will carry a special function, and that the Operational Commanders in Chief union created in Yerevan will be leading them during military operations; meaning that the “unified subdivisions”, will be considered under those military units which Moscow plans to activate in the South Caucasus. Of course, in the first place, against Georgia.

The decisions made simultaneously (!) in Abkhazia and “South Ossetia” indicate that this is a message which Moscow is sending to Tbilisi and our allies, and that message is clearly impudent, cynical and openly defiant. The black clouds coming from the North are obviously gathering in the skies above Georgia, which has also been confirmed by a number of political analysts. Khatuna Lazagidze says that the success of pro-Russian politicians is no accident: “The united Armenian-Russian military units; the newly elected pro-Russian President of Moldova; the new President of Bulgaria disposed loyally towards Russia – all this is a new headache for NATO and the European Union – the two presidents from socialist parties – all this is the “harvest” of yesterday! The same-elected government of Georgia has to operate in this reality. The West, soaked in conservatism and socialism, is preparing for the fourth technological revolution. It can be said that this is a clear nuclear fusion, as we ready for these challenges. Or are we heading where the wind carries us?”  asked Ms. Lazagidze.

OP-ED By Zaza Jgarkava