'Advancing toward modern army': Armenia celebrates 33 years of armed forces

Armenia marks 33rd anniversary of armed forces

Armenia is marking the 33rd anniversary of the formation of its armed forces. To commemorate the occasion, government officials, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, visited the Yerablur Military Pantheon. The site is the resting place of renowned military commanders, national heroes, and ordinary soldiers who gave their lives defending the homeland.

Ahead of the officials’ arrival, access to the pantheon was restricted, preventing journalists from approaching the prime minister and other members of the government. However, after paying tribute to the fallen, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Chair of the Parliamentary Commission on Defence and Security answered questions from the media. They affirmed the Armenian government’s commitment to establishing peace and stability in the region while continuing reforms aimed at building a modern army.

• ‘US not selling us weapons yet, but we’re interested’ – Armenian Defence Minister
• “Armenia isn’t militarizing but raising cost of attacking it”: opinion
• Will Azerbaijani armed forces leave Armenia’s sovereign territories? Opinion from Yerevan
• “Unprecedented, but significantly inferior to Baku”: expert on Armenia’s military spending

“We are moving towards peace” – Chief of General Staff

“Together with Armenia’s political leadership, we are moving towards establishing peace and conducting border delimitation and demarcation [with Azerbaijan]. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces continue to develop and improve,” assured Chief of the General Staff Edward Asryan.

According to Asryan, the current situation at the border is relatively stable, but there are still reasons for concern as Azerbaijani forces “remain on Armenia’s sovereign territory, which they have occupied.”

When asked by journalists whether Azerbaijani forces would withdraw from Armenian territory after the border delimitation process, Asryan refrained from giving a direct answer, stating that the matter would be monitored throughout the process.

“I cannot answer this question. These issues are being handled by the commission on border delimitation and demarcation,” he added.

“We must build modern army” – Head of Parliamentary Defence Committee

Andranik Kocharyan, an MP from the ruling faction and Chair of the Parliamentary Defence and Security Committee, stated that Armenia must establish a capable and modern army. According to him, the country is currently navigating this challenging path:

“Modern armies operate within the logic of special forces—small units capable of tackling serious tasks. This means having advanced weaponry and well-trained personnel with the knowledge to use it effectively. This is the policy of the authorities, and we are working step by step to implement it,” Kocharyan explained.

“Strengthening army is a necessity” – Catholicos

Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, emphasized the role and achievements of the army in his congratulatory message, highlighting its commitment to protecting the nation and statehood since the first days of Armenia’s independence:

“In light of the grave security challenges facing our state today, strengthening our army is a necessity, an imperative. It is crucial to continue fortifying our armed forces so that our soldiers, with high combat efficiency and unwavering spirit, can carry out their sacred mission of defending the homeland.”

“Army on path of development and reform” – Parliament Speaker

Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan noted that since its formation, Armenia’s army has faced numerous challenges. Now, he says, it is undergoing a phase of development and reform:

“This path is not an easy one. But our government has done and continues to do everything to ensure that Armenia has a modern, strong, and capable army that will serve as the guarantor and protector of our state’s independence, security, and sovereignty.”

In his message, the Parliament Speaker expressed special gratitude to the soldiers currently stationed at the border.

“We are working to enhance combat readiness of armed forces” – President

President Vahagn Khachaturyan, in his message, recalled that the Armenian army was established during challenging times, made possible through the unity, resilience, and patriotism of the people:

“Today, our soldiers and officers continue this important mission with great responsibility and dedication, defending the borders and ensuring the security of the country.”

According to the president, modernizing the army is a top state priority. The authorities are consistently working to enhance the combat readiness of the armed forces and upgrade military equipment. Khachaturyan also assured that special attention is being paid to improving the social conditions of military personnel.

“Solutions to systemic issues are being developed” – Ombudsperson

Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan emphasized that protecting human rights and upholding the rule of law in the Armed Forces are her top priorities.

“The protection of the rights of every member of the Armed Forces remains at the forefront of our attention. I regularly visit military units and institutions, personally meeting with servicemen to understand and address their concerns. For the systemic issues we identify, solutions are being developed, and we present our recommendations to the relevant state bodies,” she stated.