The difference between the border guard services of Armenia and Azerbaijan

The authorities of Armenia declare that after the delimitation and border demarcation works, the border guards of Armenia will control of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Studies show that the border guard services of Armenia and Azerbaijan are completely different in terms of weapons and training.

The first border post was installed on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on April 23, and the Armenian border guards are already standing in their designated places. On the same day, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan posted on his Facebook page: “The first border post was installed in the Tavush-Kazakh section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border,” attaching the relevant photo.

Before this post and after that, Pashinyan visited Voskepar, Kirants and Berkaber communities of Tavush marz several times and met with the local population. The prime minister told them that Armenian and Azerbaijani border guard troops would be deployed in the demarcated areas between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On May 2, he announced in the Parliament that border demarcation is already a reality.

About the border guard service of Azerbaijan

The foundation for the formation of the Azerbaijani border guard troops was laid on July 31, 2002, by the order of the President of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev.

According to Article 19 of the Law on the State Border of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the main units directly guarding the state border are the border checkpoint (Sərhəd zastavası), the border control unit, the operational intelligence unit, the border aircraft, the border fleet, the radio-technical post, the field commissioner of the border guard troops. The head of the border guard service is Elchin Guliyev, who has held this position since 2002.

The rapid response forces of the State Border Guard Service of Azerbaijan, headed by Babek Elekberov, are also under the authority of the State Border Guard Service of Azerbaijan. This unit is also called “green berets.”

In 2020, during the 44-day war, the above-mentioned unit actively participated in military operations.

According to the 2020 study of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the armament of the Azerbaijan Border Guard Service includes infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1/BMP-2), armored personnel carriers (BTR-60/70/80), rocket launchers (122mm 3 T-122), attack helicopters (24 Mi-35M Hind) and unmanned aerial vehicles (Medium Hermes 900).

According to the 2021 study of the same institute, the armament of the border guard service of Azerbaijan was supplemented with “Hermes 450” and “Harop” type drones.

According to the 2022 study, an aircraft (Light 40 An-2 Colt) and a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle (SkyStriker) have been added to the armament of the Azerbaijan Border Guard Service.

According to the studies of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the weapon sets of the Azerbaijan Border Guard Service in 2023 and 2024 remained the same.

About the border guard troops of Armenia

The border guard troops of the Republic of Armenia were established in February, 1992, within the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia. In 1993, by the decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia, the Department of the Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of Defense was transferred under the authority of the State Department of National Security of the Republic of Armenia and was later renamed the Border Guard Troops of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia. On April 26, 1994, the highest legislative body of the Republic of Armenia, the Supreme Council, for the first time adopted a law “On the State Border of the Republic of Armenia,” later on November 20, 2001, the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Border Guard Troops” was adopted.

According to Article 6 of the Law “On Border Guard Troops” of the Republic of Armenia, the focal management body of the border guard troops, the main department of state border defense0, consists of subordinate units and military units, border control military units and divisions, military training units and security units.

According to the 2020 study of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the armament of the border guard troops of Armenia includes armored reconnaissance vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-1), armored personnel carriers (BTR-60, BTR-70), and airborne warfare combat vehicles (BMD-1).

According to the 2021 study of the same institute, the armament of the border guard troops of Armenia remained the same compared to the previous year.

According to the 2022 study, there were no additions to the armament of the border guard service of Armenia.

According to the studies of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the weapon sets of the border guard troops of Armenia remained the same in 2023 and 2024. In other words, at least since 2020, the arsenal of the border guard troops of Armenia has not been replenished with new weapons and munitions. Meanwhile, there was an increase not only in the number of existing weapons, but also in new weapons in the armament of the border guard service of Azerbaijan.

Thus, even though the Prime Minister of Armenia declares that from now on, border guards will serve in the demarcated areas of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and not servicemen, however the Azerbaijani border guard service is a highly militarized unit armed with military equipment.

Alyona Hayrapetyan