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| Central Asia |
| Russian Warplanes Heading to Kyrgyzstan |
| 2002-12-03 |
| Russia's efforts to beef up its military presence in Central Asia are gaining new momentum this week as a group of warplanes arrives at an airbase outside the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Two Il-76 cargo planes delivered equipment and personnel to the Kant base on Saturday, the Kyrgyz Defense Ministry said. The first of up to 20 Su-25 attack planes and Su-27 fighters began arriving Monday, the ministry said. A Russian air force official confirmed the deployment plans. Su-25s and 27s, some of their best stuff. The deployment of the aircraft, equipment and personnel will transform the Kyrgyz base into a full-fledged air force base that will operate under the auspices of the Collective Security Treaty, or DKB, which in addition to Russia includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The development of the Kant base, which will have about 500 personnel, will be followed by a reinforcement of DKB rapid reaction forces in Central Asia, Interfax reported, citing a source in the Moscow-based DKB secretariat. The force, which DKB signatories agreed to establish last year, will eventually have 6,000 servicemen, the source said. Handy little strike force ya got there, Ivan. The expansion of DKB's military presence in Central Asia is designed to deter local Islamic extremists who seek to overthrow local secular governments as well as to balance the Western military presence "to some extent," according to Alexander Pikayev of the Moscow Carnegie Center. Wondered when they were going to mention them. The overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has dealt a major blow to Central Asia's Islamic extremists, who used Afghan territory to launch incursions. However, "they are still a major threat that needs to be deterred," Pikayev said in a telephone interview Monday. An Su-25 will do that very nicely. Russians have had ground attack down to a art form since WWII. Reinforcement of DKB forces will also serve as "some kind of a counterbalance" to the mostly U.S. and French troops and aircraft that were deployed in the region last year to provide support for the operation in Afghanistan, he said. Kant is aout 20 kilometers from Bishkek, where U.S. and French troops are based at Manas International Airport. Welcome to the neighborhood. |
| Posted by:Steve |