MOSCOW (RIA Novosti)—Russia is planning to strengthen its integrated regional air defense network with Belarus and set up similar joint networks with Armenia and Kazakhstan, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.
“Such cooperation greatly enhances the defense potential of Russia and its partners, and contributes to strengthening peace and stability in Eurasia,” Putin said at a meeting with senior commanding officers in Moscow.
Moscow and Minsk signed an agreement on the joint protection of the Russia-Belarus Union State’s airspace and the creation of an integrated regional air defense network in February 2009.
The network reportedly comprises five Air Force units, 10 air defense units, five technical service and support units, and one electronic warfare unit. It is part of the integrated air defense network of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in April that a number of Su-27SM3 fighter jets will be put on alert duty at the Lida airbase in Belarus. Russia will also deliver four battalions of S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Belarus next year in addition to Tor-M2 air defense batteries earlier deployed in the country.
Russia announced plans to set up regional air defense networks with members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a regional security bloc that also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Apart from Belarus, Moscow signed an agreement to establish a regional air defense network with Kazakhstan last year.
A similar deal with Armenia has been in the works for some time, and Moscow will help Yerevan to expand and modernize its relatively small air force, according to CSTO officials.
Excellent news. A srong riposte to the enemy the Turks, and their sponsors, the USA. As long as Armenia remains strong, retains a strong armed forces with leading edge armaments, it is the best guarantee of her survival being in her hands. What is needed now is the nascent formation of a powerful air force . Armenia must build her armed forces to the highest possible objectives. We must have a potent striking force in the Caucasus. Only with a strong army we can have the peace everyone pays lip service to. The partnership with Russia needs to be reinforced and enhanced at all levels . The USA is pro turkish and pro Azeri and anti Russian, by extension the USA is anti armenian. It is high time diasporan armenians understand this and stop proselytizing their polyana schemes for the homeland.
Armenia is lost to Russia, because of Washington’s inability to convince Turkey to become a trustworthy partner in the region, he also lost Syria, Iraq, and now maybe Lebanon to Russia,for the same reason, American tax payers money Turkey spent to improve it’s economy and gave nothing in return.
Excellent devlopments. Strengthens our bilateral relations. We need to build our armed forces to formidable levels of efficiency. We can not pussyfoot with existing conditions in the region, surrounded by enemies who scheme and plan our destruction.
Very-Very Good !.
Arn.Sweden.