Protests against and for Russian military base take place in Armenia’s Gyumri

Several protests have taken place in Armenia’s Gyumri, with two expressing support for Russia’s military presence in Armenia, and one pro-Western protest against the presence of the Russian military base in the city.

The protests took place amidst a heavy police presence on Saturday.

According to RFE/RL, all roads leading to the military base were closed.

Members of the Mother Armenia initiative and members of the Communist party held two separate but concurrent protests in support of Russia’s military presence. Later on Saturday, pro-Western protesters held a demonstration calling for the removal of the long-standing military base.

The Communist party protest at the Mother Armenia memorial saw an argument between members of the party and employees of the municipality.

Separately, Pro-Western demonstrators gathered near a checkpoint leading to the military base, demanding the Russian troops’ withdrawal from Armenia.

According to RFE/RL, loud Armenian and Russian music could be heard playing from inside the base.

RFE/RL has cited the leader of the For the Republic party, Arman Babajanyan, who organized the pro-Western protest, as listing steps which could lead to the removal of the base from Armenia, which he called a ‘shame’.

‘I think that developments, including geopolitical ones, will force the authorities to move forward. If they do not, we will force them to make this issue such an agenda item in the upcoming elections that the authorities will be forced to take into account the people’s opinion’, Babajanyan said during the protest, according to RFE/RL.

The head of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly — Vanadzor, Artur Sakunts, was also present at the protest, where he demanded that the financing of the base from Armenia’s state budget be stopped.

First established in the 1940s, the Russian 102nd Military Base is believed to house upwards of 3,000 Russian military personnel, and serves as a crucial base of operations in the South Caucasus.

It has previously been embroiled in several controversies, including the alleged detention and abduction of Russian military deserter Dimitry Setrakov from Gyumri to Russia — reportedly without the Armenian government’s knowledge.