moscow is expanding its military presence in Armenia amid rising tensions with Azerbaijan, according to the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence reports that the Kremlin has accelerated the reinforcement of its military base in Gyumri, Armenia, as part of broader efforts to exert military and political pressure across the South Caucasus.
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"Personnel are being recruited from among russian Armed Forces servicemembers stationed in Rostov and Volgograd oblasts, as well as from temporarily occupied Crimea," the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine said in an official statement.
In parallel, russian authorities are actively seeking volunteers from among oppressed ethnic minorities in the North Caucasus, including in North Ossetia and Adygea.
"The deployment of russian forces to Armenia is part of a broader kremlin strategy aimed at destabilizing the global security environment," said Andrii Yusov, spokesperson for the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. "Alongside attempts to provoke interethnic conflict, moscow is increasing its military footprint in the Caucasus. The worsening of relations between Azerbaijan and russia appears to have been premeditated."
Earlier, Ukrainian intelligence reported that russia is attempting to draw Laos into its war of aggression against Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, "In addition to the mass recruitment of mercenaries from African and Asian countries, as well as personnel from North Korean units, the kremlin is exploring ways to involve so-called partner nations under the guise of humanitarian projects in russian regions bordering Ukraine."
Laos is reportedly the latest country russia is trying to involve in the war.
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence states that the kremlin is organizing the deployment of an engineering unit from the Lao People’s Army to carry out demining operations in russia’s Kursk region.
"Under the pretense of humanitarian assistance, russia is seeking to legitimize the presence of foreign military personnel on its territory – effectively using them to support its combat operations against Ukraine," the statement concluded.
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