RUSSIA CONTINUES WITHDRAWAL OF HARDWARE FROM MILITARY BASE IN GEORGIA
RTR Russia TV, Moscow
25 May 06
A train carrying hardware left the Russian military base in Batumi
last night. A total of 50 communications and rear service vehicles
as well as engineering equipment are to be redeployed to the Russian
Defence Ministry base in Gyumri, Armenia.
Another six such trains will leave Batumi in the next few months,
the headquarters of the Joint Group of Forces in the North Caucasus
has said.
I recall that the withdrawal of military hardware from this base
began in the summer of 2005. Two assault landing ships brought to
Russia 12 tanks, 12 air defence systems and combat patrol vehicles.
Under Russian-Georgian agreements, the base in Batumi is to be closed
in 2008.