During the press conference with the Cypriot Foreign Minister, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan addressed a journalist’s question regarding Russian border guards at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan. Mirzoyan clarified how Yerevan communicated this issue to Moscow.

Ararat Mirzoyan stated that initially, the presence of Russian border guards at various border checkpoints in Armenia, including Zvartnots airport, was intended to support independent Armenia. The plan was for them to remain present as long as Armenia required their assistance. Once Armenia developed its institutional capabilities, it would assume responsibility for these functions.

“Now we believe that Armenia is institutionally capable of independently implementing border guard service at the [Yerevan] airport, about which we have informed the Russian side. I believe this will be enough for the Russian side, and the matter will be over,” Mirzoyan noted. 

Mirzoyan stated that the Armenian side has notified the Russian side that it no longer requires the border guard service of Russian border guards at the airport. He expressed gratitude to the Russian side for their assistance. Mirzoyan mentioned that the notification was conveyed through the relevant service, and therefore, he did not go into technical details.

In response to a question regarding the presence of Russian border guards in other locations in Armenia, such as along the Turkish border, the FM clarified that the discussion pertains solely to Zvartnots airport.

“We are specifically addressing the airport,” the Armenian FM emphasized.