Armenia

Suren Papikyan Congratulates Nikos Dendias on Greek Independence Day

On March 25, 2025, Suren Papikyan, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia, sent a congratulatory message to Nikos Dendias, the Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic, on his X page in honor of Greek Independence Day.

In the message, Papikyan stated:
"On behalf of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia and personally myself, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on the occasion of the National Holiday of the Hellenic Republic, Independence Day. The comprehensive relations between our two countries serve as a testament to the unwavering friendship, mutual respect, and sincere and effective cooperation founded on trust between the brotherly peoples of Armenia and Greece, which we highly appreciate and value."

Local Exercises

On March 25, a fire readiness exam for the next subgroup of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia took place during a military exercise. The process was observed by Lieutenant General Edward Asryan, the First Deputy Minister of Defence and Head of the Armed Forces. After reviewing the data recorded by the highest-ranking and senior troops, Lieutenant General Asryan expressed his gratitude, emphasizing that the testing process had a positive impact on enhancing the combat readiness of the Armed Forces.

On March 30, the 3rd Infantry Company of the 13th Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade of the Eastern Command carried out a task-oriented exercise at the Lieutenant Shota Khurtsidze Training Center "Orpolo" shooting range. During the exercise, military personnel conducted operations to seize an assembly area and locate and destroy a conditional enemy within the operation zone. The objective of the exercise was to prepare the unit for collective tasks in coordination with supporting elements.

Kansas National Guard Sergeant-General Delivers Lecture at Vazgen Sargsyan Military Academy

On March 27, Chris Hargis, the Sergeant-General of the Kansas National Guard, visited the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Academy. During his visit, he delivered a lecture at the Brigade Sergeant Training, where he discussed the role of sergeants within the armed forces, highlighting the importance of professional leadership and effective communication between sergeants and commanders.

The lecture covered several key topics, including the leadership qualities required for leading by personal example, methods of communication and cooperation with commanders, building trust and discipline within subdivisions, and the challenges faced by sergeants along with possible solutions. At the conclusion of the meeting, the guests were given a tour of the academy's premises, allowing them to learn about the infrastructure, history, traditions, and achievements of the institution.

Border Incidents

On March 30, the Ministry of Defence of Armenia responded to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan, which alleged that Armenian Armed Forces units had opened fire on Azerbaijani combat positions in the eastern and southeastern sectors of the border on the evening of March 29 and the morning of March 30. The Armenian side refuted this claim, stating that it did not reflect reality.

The Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia had previously proposed the establishment of a joint Armenia-Azerbaijan mechanism to investigate ceasefire violations and related reports. However, Azerbaijan has yet to respond to this initiative. The Ministry of Defence of Armenia reaffirmed its position, expressing readiness to investigate the facts supporting Azerbaijan’s statement should they be provided to Armenia.

Azerbaijan

Border Incidents

On the evening of March 29 and the morning of March 30, the Azerbaijani side claimed that Armenian Armed Forces had made three attempts to conduct reconnaissance flights over Azerbaijan Army positions near the Gerenzur settlement using unmanned aerial vehicles and drones. However, these actions were successfully thwarted due to the vigilance of Azerbaijan Army units. Additionally, Baku claimed that Armenian Armed Forces repeatedly fired upon Azerbaijan Army positions using small arms.

Georgia

NATO Joint Force Training Center Delegation Meets with Georgian Defense Officials in Krtsanisi

On March 24, Brigadier General Petr Svoboda, the Deputy Commander of the NATO Joint Force Training Center (JFTC), and Colonel Ladislav Svezda, a representative of the JFTC Training and Exercises Department, paid a working visit to Georgia. The NATO guests were hosted at the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC) in Krtsanisi, where they were briefed by Colonel David Gagua, the Commander of the Center, on JTEC’s history, objectives, implemented projects, and future plans.

The meeting highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC) and the NATO Joint Force Training Center (JFTC), as well as the support provided by JFTC in the development of JTEC. A key topic of discussion was the NATO-Georgia 2025 exercise, which is scheduled to take place in Georgia later this year. Brigadier General Svoboda was given detailed information about the planning and preparatory work for the exercise, which is in its final phase.

During their three-day visit to Georgia, representatives of the NATO Joint Force Training Center (JFTC) also met with Major General Zaza Chkhaidze, the Deputy Commander of the Georgian Defense Forces, and other representatives from various structural units of the Defense Forces. The NATO delegation visited the Combat Training Center (CTC) within JTEC. The partnership between JTEC and JFTC began in 2017 through a mentoring program, and a formal partnership agreement was signed in 2020.