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Russia’s defense chief arrives in Dushanbe to hash over upgrading Tajik military

Sergei Shoigu will meet with the country's president and defense minister

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Yekaterina Shtukina/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu

© Yekaterina Shtukina/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

DUSHANBE, May 28. /TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived to Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe on Tuesday for talks with the republic’s military and political leadership.

During the visit, he is expected to discuss the modernization of the Tajik armed forces and the functioning of Russia’s 201 military base in the country, a spokesperson for the Russian Defense Minister, Rossiyana Markovskaya, told reporters.

"Those issues are to be discussed today with the republic’s Defense Minister Mirzo Sherali," she said.

Besides, Shoigu will meet with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon.

"The main topics of the negotiations will be equipping the Russian military base on the country’s territory with new weapons and modernization of the Tajik armed forces," she said.

Russia’s 201 military base is the largest one outside the country. It is located in two cities - the capital Dushanbe and Bokhtar in the country’s southwest. According to an agreement, signed in October 2012, Russian servicemen will stay in the country at least until 2042.

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