Russia ratifies treaty on use of military base in Armenia

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a treaty extending the term of an agreement reached in 1995 on the use of a Russian military base in Armenia, RIA Novosti reports.

The Protocol was signed in Yerevan in August 2010. The protocol was meant to last for 25 years, the new protocol extends the term until 2044. According to the new agreement, the treaty will be automatically extended every five years if neither of the parties notifies in advance about the termination of the contract.

Gyumri has been hosting a Russian military base since 1995. The base is equipped with anti-aircraft missiles S-300 and MiG-29. The garrison amounts to about 5000 people.