What is in common between US & 513th Separate Battalion of Armenian Defense Ministry? Caliber.Az exclusive

Two exclusive pieces of Caliber.Az have triggered wide discussions in regional media. The publications covered the arrival of US military transport planes to Armenia with weapons and personnel on board. The US Embassy in Yerevan tried to refute this information, but to no avail.

We now have additional facts about the arriving American aircraft, which we will share with our readers. But first, let us recall the background of this issue.

As we have already reported, on August 2 and 3, two military planes departed from US bases in Romania and Qatar to Yerevan's Zvartnots Airport. The Boeing C-17 military transport aircraft, belonging to the US Armed Forces, delivered not only military cargo but also up to 50 US Army personnel.

The Armenian Armed Forces have received new American weaponry, including sniper rifles, night vision devices, cutting-edge communication equipment, special forces body armour, strike mini-drones used by the US Army, as well as small-sized mines and other ammunition. These weapons have already undergone practical testing in Ukraine and have been modified to address the specifics of modern combat operations. For instance, helmets and body armour have been specially adapted to provide effective protection against shrapnel and gunfire from Russian and Soviet weaponry.

In addition, one of the planes delivered to Armenia equipment for tracking missile and aircraft trajectories from Iran, which will be installed along the Armenian-Iranian border. To avoid drawing attention to the presence of American military personnel, Washington and Yerevan selected Armenian-origin soldiers and individuals of Slavic and Caucasian appearance who had immigrated to the US from former Soviet countries.

In line with the US Embassy's "denial," Armenian officials have claimed that American soldiers left the "land of stones" in early August. However, it is important to note that the Eagle Partner 2024 exercises, which took place in Armenia from July 15 to 24, and the arrival of US Air Force transport planes in early August are two completely separate cases. Therefore, asserting that the American soldiers could have left the country nine days after the end of the exercises is incorrect.

Let’s turn to the new information: the provided photo features two routes along which military cargo and US Armed Forces personnel were initially transported from Zvartnots Airport to the 513th Separate Battalion of the Armenian Ministry of Defence, located in the suburbs of Yerevan.

There were 300 men in this battalion before the arrival of the US military.

Photo of the battalion's location (image taken from open sources)

Two important points are worth emphasizing.

First, everything that happens in the South Caucasus region is closely monitored by Azerbaijan, and we have demonstrated this in practice on multiple occasions.

Second, let us remind the Armenian side: continuing the policy of militarisation, regardless of support from France, India, the European Peace Facility, or the US, will inevitably lead to serious consequences. Armenia lacks the strategic depth to allow such provocations to go unanswered. Ultimately, it will inevitably face new setbacks.

In this context, it's appropriate to recall the words of President Ilham Aliyev: "If we see that these weapons reach a critical level, then, let no one have any hard feelings. In any case, everyone knows what we are capable of, what our Army is capable of, and how strong our determination is. No one can stand in front of us."

After a brief response to our first publication, the US Embassy in Armenia continues to remain silent. However, given the importance of the issue we raised, we still expect a detailed and substantial comment from the US Embassy. Or do you have nothing to answer?