The Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan has received new weapons amid aggravation of the situation in Afghanistan.
“The newest assault rifles Ak-12, Yarygin pistols, modern sniper rifles ASVK-M, long-range flamethrowers and new portable air-defense system “Verba” have entered service with the 201st military base,” the press center of Russia’s Central Military District reported on Tuesday August 10.
All these weapons were reportedly used by Russian troops during a joint war game with subunits of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan that took place in Tajikistan near the Afghan border as the Taliban militants gained control of much of northern Afghanistan bordering Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
ASVK (Army Kovrov large-caliber sniper rifle) is a sniper rifle adopted by Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation under designation 6S8 "KORD" sniper complex in June 2013.
The AK-12 is a Russian assault rifle chambered in 5.45×39mm designed and manufactured by the Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash), making it the fifth generation of Kalashnikov rifles.
The 9K333 Verba is a Russian fourth-generation man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM) MANPADS. The 9K333 Verba was originally developed as a replacement for the 9K38 Igla. The Verba reportedly can engage fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft and new types of threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. The 9K333 can effectively engage aerial targets with low infrared signature.
The Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan is subordinate to the Central Military District. It 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 now stationed at two military facilities collectively known as the 201st military base – in Dushanbe and Bokhtar (formerly Qurghon Teppa), some 100 kilometers from Dushanbe.
