Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence or HUR has reported that the Kremlin has accelerated the buildup of its military base in Gyumri, Armenia, aiming to increase military-political pressure on the South Caucasus countries. During the Soviet era, its nations, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, were under Moscow’s control and subjected to centralized governance.
Tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia escalated after more than 50 ethnic Azerbaijani citizens were detained in Russia in June. During the raid, two brothers, Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov, died from multiple injuries. In response, Baku launched a criminal investigation into torture and murder. Azerbaijan also canceled Russian cultural events and detained two FSB agents working undercover at the Russian propaganda outlet Sputnik Azerbaijan.
Personnel for the Gyumri base are being recruited from Russian troops stationed in the Rostov and Volgograd regions, as well as from occupied Crimea.
In addition, Russia is actively seeking volunteers from oppressed Caucasian ethnic groups, particularly in North Ossetia and Adygea.
According to HUR, the deployment of Russian troops in Armenia is part of the Kremlin’s broader strategy to destabilize global security.
“Alongside stoking interethnic conflict, Moscow is expanding its military presence in the Caucasus. The worsening of Russian-Azerbaijani relations was likely planned in advance,” noted Ukrainian Defense Intelligence representative Andrii Yusov.
Ukraine’s military intelligence continues to monitor Russian troop movements both inside and beyond Russian territory.
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