MOSCOW, November 30 /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister General Sergey Shoigu and his Armenian counterpart Vigen Sargsyan on Wednesday signed an agreement for creating the United Group of Troops.

Earlier, on November 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the idea of striking a deal with Armenia and ordered a draft agreement be sealed for the creation of the United Group of Troops in the collective security region in the Caucasus. The group "is supposed to provide an adequate response to any armed attack as well as to other challenges and security threats to the parties."

Sargsyan in turn said that the United Group of Troops would comprise the 102nd Russian military base deployed in Armenia and Armenian army units.

The Russian and Armenian defense ministers also signed a cooperation plan for 2017.

Shoigu congratulated his Armenian counterpart on his new appointment. "Hopefully, we are going to have the same friendly relations as with your predecessor," he emphasized adding Russia was ready to expand ties with Armenia in the sphere of military education.

"Practically, all Defense Ministry institutions of high learning train experts for Armenia. So, this work continues and we are ready to expand it along these lines," Shoigu said.