Gyumri residents claim cold attitude towards soldiers after incidents at Russian base (+video)

Incidents involving Russian soldiers are provoked by lack of discipline. This opinion was expressed by members of human rights and public organizations of Armenia. Residents of Gyumri, interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, noted the deterioration of the attitude towards soldiers from the Russian Federation. However, many Gyumri residents have said all the soldiers and officers cannot be judged by actions of some soldiers.

On September 10, a fight involving four soldiers from the 102nd Russian military base took place in Gyumri. One of them got a brain injury.

The incident is not connected with the murder of the Avetisyan family members, noted Vaan Tumasyan, the leader of the public charity organization "Shirak Centre". However, according to his version, the murder of the Avetisyan family members in Gyumri provoked psychological consequences.

Russian soldiers behave with restraint towards residents of Gyumri, and this can be explained by local mentality, Vaan Tumasyan noted.

"There is a doubt if the military base of the Russian Federation is really meant to ensure the security of the people of Armenia or it is a threat to them," added Arthur Sakunts, the chief of the Vanadzor Office of the Helsinki Civil Assembly.

People still feel tension, residents of Gyumri said.

After the murder of the Avetisyan family members, the city residents are disappointed in Russian soldiers and they have become more cautious, economist Voskan Martirosyan believes.

Pensioner Rudolf Airapetyan believes citizens of Armenia need a Russian military base. The Gyumri residents are positive about soldiers, added the pensioner. According to him, there are no conflicts between soldiers and local people.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.