Russian border guards have officially left Zvartnots Airport
Russia has officially completed the withdrawal of its border guards from Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport. This process was finalized on Wednesday. Earlier this year, Armenian authorities requested the Russian side to terminate their service at the airport and depart.
For decades, Russian border guards worked at Zvartnots alongside their Armenian counterparts. They assisted in monitoring the country's air borders and conducting passport controls. However, the Armenian government stated that Armenian specialists now possess sufficient experience and skills to perform these tasks independently and effectively.
To mark the completion of the process, representatives from both countries signed an official protocol. Currently, only the border guard troops of Armenia's National Security Service are on duty at all airport checkpoints. This represents a significant change, as Zvartnots is considered the country's main air gateway.
Despite this change, Russian border guards continue their service in other parts of Armenia. They patrol the borders with Turkey and Iran in accordance with existing interstate agreements between the two countries. The departure from Zvartnots is viewed as an important step toward establishing full control over Armenia's borders.