Armenia

Armenian and Georgian Military Leaders Discuss Defence Cooperation and Regional Security

On 3 November, Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan met Lieutenant General Giorgi Matiashvili, Commander of the Georgian Defence Forces, at the Armenian Defence Ministry headquarters in Yerevan. Discussions focused on bilateral defence cooperation and regional security developments.

Separately, First Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan held talks with Matiashvili on opportunities to expand military cooperation, particularly the exchange of experience concerning reforms and transformation processes in their respective armed forces. The sides discussed cooperation in military education, personnel training, participation in joint exercises, information exchange, special forces, and territorial defence. They agreed to continue high-level reciprocal visits and consultations and emphasised the implementation of activities under their bilateral military cooperation planning framework.

During his visit, Matiashvili also visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex in Yerevan, where he laid a wreath at the memorial and placed flowers near the eternal flame in tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenia and United Kingdom Sign Defence Cooperation Programme for 2026-2027

Armenia and the United Kingdom held bilateral defence consultations in London on 4 November, focusing on regional and international security developments and prospects for expanding defence cooperation. The sides reviewed the progress of existing bilateral cooperation and discussed opportunities for engagement in new areas, reaching agreements on their further development. Following the consultations, Levon Ayvazyan, head of the Armenian Defence Ministry’s Department of Defence Policy and International Cooperation, and Chris Key, director for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the UK Ministry of Defence, signed the 2026-2027 Defence Cooperation Programme. The parties agreed to hold the next round of consultations in Yerevan.

Armenia Appoints Military Attaché to China for Three-Year Term

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a decision appointing Hamik Sayadyan as military attaché at the Armenian Embassy in China for a three-year term, effective 23 November 2026. The appointment was made pursuant to Article 10, Part 9 of Armenia’s Law on Diplomatic Service.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan to Allocate $2.35 Billion to Defence Projects in 2027

Azerbaijan plans to allocate ₼4 billion (approximately USD 2.35 billion) to defence projects in 2027, according to the draft state budget currently under consideration in parliament. The proposed allocation is 11.1% lower than the ₼4.5 billion earmarked for special defence projects in 2026. Overall defence and national security spending is projected to increase by approximately 1.2% year-on-year. The funds are intended to strengthen the country's defence capabilities and improve the armed forces' material and technical resources, with spending planned in line with existing commitments and signed contracts. The draft budget also envisages reducing funding for military housing and rental compensation by 41.2%, from ₼50.5 million in 2026 to ₼29.7 million in 2027. 

Azerbaijan Conducts Computer-Assisted Command-Staff Exercise

A computer-assisted command-staff exercise was underway within the Azerbaijan Army on 3 November as part of the 2026 training plan. The exercise involved personnel from the Ministry of Defence’s main departments, military formations and the Combined Arms Army headquarters. Its programme focused on military decision-making procedures and the use of simulation systems to improve command capabilities and the operational effectiveness of military units. On 3 November, Defence Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov received reports from the exercise headquarters via videoconference and conveyed tasks assigned to the armed forces by President Ilham Aliyev. The exercise incorporated experience gained from addressing modern military threats. 

Azerbaijani Military Pilots Carry Out Training Flights with Su-25ML and L-39 Aircraft

Azerbaijani military pilots conducted training flights with Su-25ML and L-39 aircraft on 3 November under the Defence Ministry’s 2026 activity plan. Before the flights, personnel underwent medical examinations, aircraft inspections, and assessments of their theoretical knowledge of flight conditions and safety procedures. During the exercises, pilots practised take-offs and landings, performed aerobatic manoeuvres at different altitudes, identified coordinates of simulated ground targets, and conducted aerial reconnaissance. The ministry stated that the training was intended to strengthen practical combat skills and improve the pilots’ ability to respond to potential threats to the country’s airspace. 

Azerbaijani Defence University Delegation Visits United States

A delegation led by Major General Gunduz Abdulov, rector of Azerbaijan’s National Defence University, visited the United States on 2 November. The delegation held meetings at the US National Defense University and the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. Discussions covered military education, strategic leadership, human-resource development, and adapting professional military education to contemporary security challenges. The sides also considered Azerbaijan’s reforms in military education, including competency-based training, continuous professional development for officers, faculty exchanges, and the development of a professional non-commissioned officer system. Opportunities for cooperation in artificial intelligence-enabled wargaming were also discussed. The parties agreed to implement planned joint activities. 

Azerbaijan and Italy Undertake Joint Civil-Military Cooperation Training

A training course involving Azerbaijani and Italian military experts was held in Baku on 6 November under the countries’ bilateral military cooperation plan. The programme brought together civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) specialists from both countries and Azerbaijani personnel representing the Defence Ministry’s main departments and different branches of service. Participants examined the organisation of cooperation between military forces, civilian populations and relevant authorities during the planning and execution of military operations. Italian experts presented international practices and operational mechanisms, followed by practical exercises in working groups. The sides also discussed exchanging expertise and expanding cooperation in the field. 

Azerbaijani and Georgian Military Educational Institutions Expand Cooperation

A delegation led by Colonel Imeda Gvritishvili, first deputy commander of Georgia’s David Aghmashenebeli National Defence Academy, visited Azerbaijan on November 5 under the countries’ 2026 bilateral military cooperation plan. The delegation met representatives of Azerbaijan’s National Defence University and visited the Institute of Military Management, where discussions focused on recent reforms in Azerbaijan’s military education system and opportunities for further institutional cooperation. On 6 November, the Georgian delegation also visited the Heydar Aliyev Military Institute and the Jamshid Nakhchivanski Military Lyceum. The visitors received briefings on the organisation of military education and the professional training of cadets. Both sides highlighted the importance of international cooperation and exchanging experience in military education. 

Georgia

Georgian National Guard Organises Interagency Exercise Partner-2026

The Georgian Defence Forces’ National Guard conducted a four-day interagency exercise, Partner-2026, involving headquarters and field components, with practical activities held in the municipalities of Tkibuli and Tianeti. The simulated crisis-management scenario included responding to acts of sabotage, extinguishing fires, and evacuating civilians. Reservists from the National Guard’s 10th and 20th Territorial Defence Brigades, together with firefighters and rescuers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Emergency Management Service, practised isolating a crisis area, preventing a simulated sabotage act, containing fires, and evacuating local residents and movable cultural heritage assets. Aviation from the Border Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs also participated in the exercise.

Military personnel from the National Guard, Special Operations Command, Aviation and Air Defence Command, and Military Police took part. Relevant services from the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Culture, and Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Protection were also involved. The final demonstration exercise in Tianeti was attended by senior representatives of the Defence Forces and the Emergency Management Service. The exercise aimed to improve interagency coordination, strengthen interoperability and enhance the ability of military and civilian services to respond jointly to crises and emergency situations.

Georgian Defence Minister Meets Turkish Ambassador and Newly Appointed Military Representatives

Georgian Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Irakli Chikovani met Turkish Ambassador to Georgia Mustafa Türker Arı and newly appointed Turkish military representatives. During the meeting, the ambassador introduced Military Attaché Colonel Mehmet Yenal Şahin, Deputy Military Attaché Lieutenant Colonel Emrah Yıldırım and Captain (First Rank) Enes Gürjan, Deputy Head of the NATO Core Team, to the minister. Discussions focused on ongoing bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation and prospects for its further development. 

Chikovani highlighted Türkiye’s practical support in strengthening the capabilities of the Georgian Defence Forces and thanked Ankara for its contribution. The sides also emphasised Türkiye’s role in implementing initiatives under the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP). Chikovani wished the newly appointed military representatives success in their assignments and expressed hope that they would contribute to further strengthening defence ties between the two countries.