We have observed that the Russian border guards are leaving Nerkin Hand. Khachatur Baghdasaryan, head of this village in Armenia’s Syunik Province, told this to Armenian News-NEWS.am on Monday.

"Villagers have seen [it]. Also, those coming to Nerkin Hand say that they [i.e. the Russian border guards] are gathering the bases. We have observed this since yesterday," said the head of this rural community.

We reported earlier that a few days ago, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian president, had announced that the pulling out of the Russian military and border guards from a number of provinces of Armenia was agreed upon during the meeting between the leaders of the two countries in Moscow on May 8.

According to the Russian side, however, "at the request of Yerevan, the Russian border guards will continue to stay at the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Iranian border."