KUBINKA, July 26. /TASS/. As many as 66 countries have already officially affirmed that their delegations will participate in the Army-2018 international forum, Major General Roman Kordyukov from the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

"With the aim of developing international military partnerships, work was organized to invite foreign delegations, enterprises and companies," said Kordyukov, acting head of the ministry’s Main Directorate for Scientific Research and Engineering Support of Advanced Technologies.

"Official invitations have been sent to 129 defense ministries. As of today, 66 official foreign delegations have confirmed their participation," the general told a briefing for foreign military attaches overviewing the upcoming forum.

He said diplomatic missions from 123 various countries have received invitations for enterprises and organizations to put their expositions in place and take part in scientific and business programs. Armenia, Belarus, India, Kazakhstan, China, Pakistan, Slovakia and Turkey have officially confirmed they will organize their national expositions.

"Given the ever-growing public interest, importance and popularity of the Army forum, it will be held between August 21 and 26, 2018," Kordyukov said. The opening ceremony will kick off on August 21, followed by the official part, activities by top officials and foreign delegations. On August 22-23, the form will open its doors to specialists, while from August 24 to August 26 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) it will be open to the public, he added.

"Traditionally, the bulk of the forum’s program will be hosted by the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center, one of the biggest world-class exhibition facilities, as well as Kubinka airfield, Alabino shooting-range and Komsomolskoye Lake," he added.