Kirgizia to strengthen military cooperation with Russia.

Kirgizia wants to strengthen military-technical cooperation with Russia, Chief-of-Staff Raiimberdi Duishenbiev said at a ceremony to receive Russian arms. "We want to strengthen interaction in the military-technical sphere with the Russian Federation," he said. The supplied Russian hardware will enhance security and stabilize the situation in Central Asia, he added.

Kirgizia wants to strengthen military-technical cooperation with Russia, Chief-of-Staff Raiimberdi Duishenbiev said at a ceremony to receive Russian arms (Picture via Political Hotwire)

The chief-of-staff recalled that last year Russia handed over two airlifters to Kirgizia. "It is only a part of the military-technical assistance envisaged by the bilateral agreement on military-technical cooperation between our countries," he said. Two Mil Mi-8MT helicopters and nine BRDM armored vehicles were handed over to Kirgizia at Kant airbase.

The Russian Defense Ministry said "the supplied hardware worth over 385 million rubles (BRDMs and helicopters) will increase the defense potential of the Kirgiz armed forces. The Russian Federation pays priority attention to reinforcing combat capabilities of the allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organization and will continue to support Kirgizia."

Russia is raising the combat readiness of military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and is taking other measures to prevent the militants from the Northern provinces of Afghanistan from infiltrating the territory of the allies in Central Asia, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said. "To these ends, we are improving the combat readiness of the Russian military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and bolstering their potential to react to crisis situations," he said in Bishkek at a Defense Ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member-states.

He pointed out that the Russian Defense Ministry is assisting partners in the region in modernizing their armed forces and improving their military capabilities. "First and foremost, we are speaking here about equipping them with weapons and military vehicles, teaching soldiers and training forces. Just today, a ceremony of transferring two Mi-8MT helicopters and nine BRDM combat reconnaissance and patrol vehicles to the Kirgiz armed forces took place," he said. "Kirgizia can always count on Russian support. Helicopters expand transportation and rescue capabilities in mountains and hard-of-access areas. The BRDM promote mobility of ground forces," the minister said.

He thanked Kirgiz authorities for the upkeep of the Russian airbase in Kant which is a major component of the rapid reaction forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. An air wing of Kirgiz airlifters is based in Kant. "Pilots of both countries fulfill combat missions should to shoulder. We shall continue to implement joint defense plans and assist Kirgiz colleagues in strengthening the national armed forces," Shoigu said adding Russian and Kirgiz military will respond to any security challenges in the region by joint effort.