More Than 60% of Armenians Want Russian Military Presence to Continue
A new poll in Armenia shows that more than 60% of the country’s citizens want Russia’s military presence to remain, underscoring continued security concerns in the country.
According to the survey conducted by MPG, 39.7% of respondents said the Russian military base is necessary for Armenia’s security. Another 24.7% stressed that the base should stay in Armenia.
RIA Novosti reported that these figures indicate a majority of respondents support the continued Russian military presence in Armenia. The report did not provide further details on when the poll was held or how many people took part.
Russia has maintained a military presence in Armenia since the 1990s. The most important part of that presence is Russia’s 102nd military base in the city of Gyumri, which operates under bilateral agreements and is considered one of the main pillars of security cooperation between the two countries.
In recent years, Russia had also stationed its border guards in parts of Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Iran, as well as at several other border points. However, this presence has declined in recent years, and Russian border guards left Zvartnots Airport in 2024 and were also withdrawn from several border posts by the start of 2025.
