Another trainload of Russian military hardware leaves Georgia
Interfax-AVN military news agency website, Moscow
18 Jul 06
Tbilisi, 18 July: Another trainload of military hardware from the
Russian military bases that are being withdrawn from Georgia left
for Russia on Tuesday morning [18 July], Col Vladimir Kuparadze,
deputy commander of the Russian Force in the Transcaucasus [RFT],
has told Interfax-AVN.
"The train is carrying 12 transport vehicles for surface-to-air
missiles, two Shilka self-propelled artillery systems, as well as
Strela portable surface-to-air missile systems from the 62nd base in
Akhalkalaki," Kuparadze said.
The RFT deputy commander added that this was the 16th trainload of
Russian military hardware [to leave Georgia] this year.
"Ten trainloads of hardware, armaments and other equipment of the 12th
(Batumi) and 62nd Russian bases left for Russia earlier, and another
five went from Batumi to the town of Gyumri (Armenia) to continue
the equipment the 102nd Russian base there," he said.
According to the RFT headquarters, a total of 19 trainloads are to be
dispatched from Georgia in 2006, bringing some 400 pieces of military
hardware and over 1,500 tones of other military equipment to Russia.
The RFT deputy commander also said that two lorry convoys with
equipment and ammunition were to leave Akhalkalaki for Gyumri within
a week.
Under Georgian-Russian agreements, Russian military bases are to be
removed from Georgia in 2008.