The Russian and Armenian Defense Ministers on Wednesday, December 23, signed an agreement on creating a joint regional air defense system in the Caucasus, Sputnik International reports.

Russia is currently working on the creation of a similar system with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. A contract on creating a joint regional air defense system was signed between Russia and Kazakhstan in 2013, and Russia and Belarus’s systems have already been unified.

As reported earlier, seven of Russia’s advanced Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters and Mi-8MT Hip transport helicopters had been deployed to the Erebuni base in Armenia.

Russian pilots are expected to begin helicopter flights from the base in the first quarter of 2016, according to the press service.