RIA Novosti, Russia
May 12 2006

Russia doubles contingent at airbase in Kyrgyzstan – commander
12:36 | 12/ 05/ 2006

BISHKEK, May 12 (RIA Novosti) – Russia has more than doubled
personnel numbers at its airbase in Kyrgyzstan, but will move the
additional personnel in when housing construction is finished, the
head of the Air Force said Friday.

Vladimir Mikhailov, currently visiting the Kant base, located about
20 miles west of the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, at the moment said: “A
new staff table has been drawn up already.”

But he added that they would be sent to the Central Asian base when a
new 160-apartment block for their families was completed, along with
a kindergarten and a school also currently under construction.

Mikhailov said the servicemen were ready to depart for the base at
any moment, but added that the base was currently capable of
fulfilling its security obligations to the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO), which comprises the former Soviet republics of
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.

The base was established in October 2003 to enable Russian jets to
provide close air support for ground units of CSTO member states.

Russia announced plans to double the base’s personnel and aircraft
numbers in February, saying the objective would be achieved within a
year.

In Bishkek, Mikhailov met with Kyrgyz Defense Minister Ismail Isakov,
confirming that Kyrgyz pilots would undergo training at the Kant
base. Russia plans to airlift four overhauled L-39 training aircraft
for this purpose.

They also discussed Russia’s assistance to Kyrgyzstan in establishing
own air defenses. So far, Russia has provided military equipment
worth 15 million rubles ($554,006) to the Central Asian nation as
part of their cooperation in the military sphere.