THIS YEAR’S LAST TRAIN WITH RUSSIAN MATERIEL READY TO LEAVE GEORGIA

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
September 18, 2006 Monday 11:50 AM MSK

This year’s last train, carrying arms and materiel of the Russian 62nd
military base, deployed in Akhalkalaki, is ready to leave for Russia.

"The train, expected to leave on Tuesday, will transport three tanks,
11 air defence systems, and 300 tons of munitions," a military base
official told Interfax-AVN on Monday.

According to him, the departure of the last train will be attended
by Commander of the Russian Task Force in Transcaucasia Major General
Andrei Popov.

Deputy Commander of the Russian Task Force in Transcaucasia Colonel
Vladimir Kuparadze told Interfax-AVN earlier that this year a total
of six trains had transported 179 pieces of materiel and 217 tons of
various cargo from the Russian 12th military base in Batumi to the
Russian 102nd base in Gyumri, Armenia.

A total of 358 pieces of materiel and 1,671 tons of cargo will be
transproted from Akhalkalaki to Russia.

The withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia will be resumed
next year, with the deadline slated for 2008.