The existence of a Russian military base in Armenia is controversial. Those in its favor argue that it would force Russia to fight alongside Armenia in the case of a possible Turkish invasion, critics argue that its existence threatens Armenias sovereignty and it is dangerous for civilians.[2] Several incidents have occurred in the past involving the base. In 1999, two drunken soldiers, Denis Popov and Alexander Kamenev, armed with AK-74 assault rifles, went into Gyumri and started a gunfire, killing 2 men, Vaghinak Simonyan and David Soghomonyan, and injuring 14. The two men were tried in Armenia; Popov was sentenced to 14 years in prison and Kamenev to 15. Whether or not the two served their entire terms in Armenia is unclear and little is known about this court’s investigation and punishment.[2][3] In an interview published on January 16 with News.am, Popov’s lawyer, Tamara Yailoian, claimed that her former client had been transferred to Russia “after two to three years,” and, “we later learned, set free.”[3] In 2013, two children were killed by a mine on the training field in the vicinity of the military base. The field was not fenced or given properly warning, but nonetheless the command of the military based never punished anyone and also ignored the official complaints of the locals.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 08:35:33 +0000
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