DUSHANBE, November 19, 2015, Asia-Plus – The 149th motor rifle regiment of the Russian 201st military base in Tajikistan which is currently deployed in the Tajik southern city of Kulob will be relocated to Dushanbe and the Lohour training ground, which is located in the Roudaki district some 40 kilometers southwest of Dushanbe.
Colonel Yaroslav Roshchupkin, a spokesman for Russia”s Central Military District, says relocation will not affect the number of troops and tasks of the unit
“Relocation of the 149th motor rifle regiment was endorsed by the Ministry of Defense of Tajikistan and it is a planned act. The decision has been made to raise fighting capacity and develop military potential of the unit. Military facility in Kulob will be handed over to Tajikistan’s authorities,” Roshchupkin said
We will recall that a group of residents of the city of Kulob working as civilian support staff at the Russian military base’s unit in their city applied to
Asia-Plus
on November 18 noting that that they have obtained an official order from Russian military command about withdrawal of Russian troops from their city.
The notification reads, “We inform you that in connection with the Central Military District directive, this military unit is being relocated as of October 15, 2015. The relocation will be completed within two months since you received this notification.”
This document has stirred up practically the whole population of Kulob because the Russian military deployed in the city has accumulated close ties with local population.
Kulob is one of the three cities in Tajikistan where the Russian 201st military base is deployed — the others are Dushanbe and Qurghon Teppa.
The Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan is Russia”s largest non-naval military facility outside the country. It was officially opened in Tajikistan in 2004 under a previous agreement, which was signed in 1993, and hosts Russia’s largest military contingent deployed abroad. A total of some 7,000 Russian troops are stationed at three military facilities collectively known as the 201st military base.
Russian officials have announced plans to increase the number of troops stationed in Tajikistan to 9,000 over the next five years and provide more military equipment through 2020.
