Russian military bases deployed in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are expected to receive more than 70 piece of weapons and military equipment this year.
A source within the Russian military base in Tajikistan says Commander of Russia’s Central Military District (CMD), Colonel-General Alexander Lapin, told reporters about this on January 24.
“In total, in 2022, the military district will receive more than 1,300 pieces of weapons and military equipment, which will make it possible to complete the equipping of two anti-aircraft missile regiments and seven units with modern samples,” Colonel-General Alexander Lapin was cited as saying by the CMD press center.
As it had been reported earlier, a batch of 30 upgraded T-72B3M tanks with improved combat characteristics arrived in Tajikistan last month to rearm the 201st Russian military base.
Besides, three motor rifle battalions of the 201st military base were rearmed with new combat hardware last year. They reportedly received a batch of advanced BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, cutting-edge Verba man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missiles, rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers of longer range and higher power, Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, 12.7mm ASVK-M Kord sniper rifles, AK-12 rifles, Linza sanitary armored cars, and the equipment of rear and technical services in October.
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.
Kant Air Base is a military air base in Ysyk-Ata district of Chuy oblast in Kyrgyzstan. It is located just south of Kant, around 20 kilometers east of Bishkek.
In accordance with a bilateral agreement between Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed on 22 September 2003, the air base hosts Russian Air Force units. The official opening took place on 23 October 2003, making the facility the first new air base Russia opened abroad since 1991. The unit stationed there has been described as Russian Air Force's 5th Air and Air Defense Forces Army's 999th Air Base.
In December 2012, Kyrgyzstan agreed to lease the base to Russia for fifteen years (with an option for an automatic extension for an additional five years) after the Russian government agreed to reduce Kyrgyz debt by US$500 million.
