UPDATE - Armenia notifies Russia about ending work of border guards at Zvartnots Airport

UPDATES WITH MORE BACKGROUND AND REMARKS FROM ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER; CHANGES LEDE

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Kremlin on Tuesday said Russia received a notification from Armenia about ending the work of Russian border guards at Zvartnots International Airport in the capital Yerevan.

“Indeed, a departmental letter was received in this regard and contacts are now being carried out through departments. I can’t say more now,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing in Moscow.

Peskov further said contacts between Russian and Armenian authorities "at all possible levels" will continue.

Earlier in the day, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during a press conference that the country's border guard sent a letter to the Russian side thanking them for their service.

Pashinyan further said the Armenian Border Guard acquired "enough experience, skills, and knowledge to carry out service at Zvartnots airport without the assistance of the Russian side.”

He also said the letter indicated that the work of the Russian border guards will end on Aug. 1.

“This is a working process, not a political process,” he added.

Pashinyan’s remarks were preceded by those of Armen Grigoryan, the head of Armenia’s Security Council, who also told journalists last week that Yerevan sent an official letter to Moscow on the matter.

Russian border guards have been present at Zvartnots Airport under an agreement between the two countries signed in 1992.​​​​​​​