Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on Wednesday that the country intends to withdraw from a Russian-led defence cooperation involving several countries. The decision is a further sign of the frosty relations between Armenia and Russia.
The announcement concerns the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) which also includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Armenia has already decided not to participate in a joint military exercise and top-level meetings within the organisation. Wednesday's more definitive announcement came during a question-and-answer session in parliament in Yerevan.
Russia has historically been an ally, but Armenia has increasingly turned towards the EU, which has provoked Russian anger.
Armenia has been in military conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan, primarily over the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabach. After an Azerbaijani blitz offensive last autumn, Armenia was forced to completely abandon Nagorno-Karabach.
The tension is simultaneously part of the increasing regional rivalries in the region, where Iran and Turkey are also involved in the power struggle.
