RUSSIAN AIR UNIT IN TAJIKISTAN SAID TO COMPRISE 20 AIRCRAFT

Interfax-AVN military news agency web site
20 Oct 04

MOSCOW

The Russian air force unit to be stationed in Tajikistan will include
up to 20 warplanes and helicopters, the Russian Defence Ministry told
Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday (20 October).

“Russian attack planes and fighters, and also fire-support helicopter
gunships Mi-24 Hind and Mi-8 Hip should be deployed at the Ayni
airfield 20 km from Dushanbe in 2005,” the Interfax-AVN source said.

The deployment of the Russian air unit at the Ayni airfield is
stipulated by agreements on setting up a Russian military base in
Tajikistan that were recently signed between Moscow and Dushanbe, he
said.

Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov told reporters on Monday (18
October) that the Russian base “will definitely have an aviation
component”, which will include fighters.

Russia already maintains two air bases outside its territory, the
source said. “A Russian air team comprising up to 20 MiG-29 Fulcrum
fighters and Mi-8 helicopters is stationed at the Erebuni airfield in
Armenia. A Russian air base comprising up to 20 aircraft too, namely
Su-24 Fencer frontline bombers, Su-25 attack planes, Su-27 Flanker
fighters, L-29 planes, and Mi-8 helicopters, is deployed at the Kant
airfield in Kyrgyzstan,” he noted.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress