The Russian military has ordered a snap combat readiness check of its troops stationed in Armenia.

Russia's southern military district said on July 7 that "a commission will assess the readiness of duty troops in the air force unit stationed in Erebuni and at the military base in Gyumri to perform assigned tasks."

The statement said the drills will take place in the areas of Kamkhud and Alagyaz.

The snap check comes amid more than two weeks of demonstrations in Armenia, Russia's chief ally in the South Caucasus, triggered by the plans of a Russian-owned company to increase electricity prices.

Russia’s army has recently intensified its combat readiness checks as relations with the West fell to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War over the crisis in Ukraine.

Based on reporting by AFP, TASS, and Interfax