RUSSIA TO MODERNIZE CIS MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM

Asia Pulse
August 28, 2008 Thursday 12:50 PM EST

Russia will allocate over 20 million rubles ($827US,500) for the
modernization of the combined CIS missile defense system in 2008,
Sergei Bulkin, a representative of the secretariat of the CIS
Council of Ministers, said at a meeting of the Council of Ministers
coordination committee on anti-ballistic missile issues in Dushanbe
last week.

Every year, Tajikistan and other CIS countries receive funds for the
modernization of their ABM systems. This year, Tajikistan has received
4 million rubles for this purpose, said Bulkin.

An estimated 21.5 million rubles will be allocated for the development
of the CIS ABM system this year, not taking into account Russia,
Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan.

Belarus will receive 4.3 million rubles for the repair and
modernization of its air defense missile systems, Armenia will
receive 3.5 million rubles for modernization of its radar stations,
and Kazakhstan will get 3.1 million rubles to buy parts for its C-200
air defense missile systems.

The coordination committee is also considering the possibility of
supplying Kazakhstan with equipment for a regional command point
and the headquarters of the combined CIS missile defense system in
central Asia.

In addition, Uzbekistan will probably receive 6.6 million rubles to
buy parts for its missile defense systems.