YEREVAN. - The Russian-Armenian military and strategic cooperation is the most important component of the bilateral relations.

Armenian Ambassador to Russia Ivan Volinkin stated the aforementioned at a solemn reception on the eve of the Russian Homeland Defender’s Day on February 23.

The Russian Ambassador noted that the holiday roots from the Soviet period and the fact that the sons of all nations of the former USSR fought in the Soviet Army, makes the holiday common for all of them.

For his part, Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan addressed all the participants, noting that the Russian border guards who are on duty on the Armenian-Turkish border defend the peaceful labor of the Armenians. According to him, the militaries of both countries are carrying out joint planning in the framework of the Armenian-Russian military cooperation and the work of the Air Defense is absolutely coordinated.

“The Russian Armed Forces are a reliable support for the Russian state. In the framework of our cooperation, the servicemen of the 102nd Russian base show high professionalism,” Ohanyan said.

He also noted that although February 23 is not a state holiday in Armenia, the memory on the common heroic past lives in the hearts of the older generation of Armenian servicemen. “Thus, it’s also our holiday,” Ohanyan said, congratulating his Russian colleagues with Homeland Defender’s Day.

In connection with the fact that January 28 marked the Armenian Army Day, the wives of the Russian diplomats had prepared a surprise: they sang the song “Mer Anunn e Haykakan Banak” (We are called Armenian Army) both in Armenian and Russian. 

Photos by Meline Tonoyan/ NEWS.am