Armenia
Country Spotlight
Armenia does not possess nuclear, biological, or chemical weapon programs but does deploy ballistic missiles. Armenia operates one nuclear power plant which has garnered international concern about its safety record. Armenia maintains a defense alliance with Russia through its membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
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Region Former Soviet Union
3 Types of ballistic missiles deployed: Tochka, Scud, and Iskander-E
2 Nuclear research facilities
25 Percentage of Armenia’s electricity produced by the Metsamor nuclear power plant
Nuclear
- Operates two nuclear research facilities and one nuclear power reactor (Metsamor), which receives fuel from Russia
- Armenia intends to construct new nuclear power plant unit after its current nuclear power unit ceases operations in 2036
- Signed agreement with US in 2012 to improve export controls after numerous incidents of Armenian citizens caught attempting to smuggle radioactive material
Tutorial on Nuclear and Radiological Security
Biological
- Operated an anti-plague system responsible for defending USSR against biological attacks in the 1960s; now protects against infectious diseases
- Acceded to Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 1994
- Does not possess biological weapons
Tutorial on Biological Weapons Nonproliferation
Armenia Overview
Missile
- Inherited Tochka (SS-21) and Scud ballistic missiles from the Soviet Union following its collapse
- Purchased Iskander-E (SS-26) short-range ballistic missiles from Russia in 2016
- Reported use of ballistic missiles during the 44-day war with Azerbaijan in 2020
Tutorial on Missiles and Other WMD Delivery Systems
Tutorial on Nuclear Testing
Chemical
- Founding member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and member of CWC
- Signed the Tashkent Agreement of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 1992, acknowledging Russia as official inheritor of Soviet chemical weapons
- Does not possess chemical weapons
Tutorial on Chemical Weapons Nonproliferation
NTI Tutorials
Treaties and Regimes Memberships
Analysis
Armenia
Armenia Overview
Overview of Armenia's nuclear, chemical, biological, and missile capabilities and nonproliferation activities.
NIS Nuclear Trafficking Collection
NTI Nuclear Materials Security Index: Building a Framework for Assurance, Accountability and Action
Education Center