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Russia hands over two Mi-8MT multirole helicopters, radars to Kyrgyzstan for free

Russia signed an inter-governmental agreement with Kyrgyzstan several years ago on providing military and technical assistance to the Kyrgyz army

Mi-8MT multirole helicopter Alexander Demianchuk/TASS

Mi-8MT multirole helicopter

© Alexander Demianchuk/TASS

BISHKEK, November 27. /TASS/. Russia has handed over two Mi-8MT multirole helicopters and radar stations to the army of Kyrgyzstan free of charge, the General Staff of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces told TASS on Wednesday.

"The ceremony of the handover of military and technical assistance took place on the territory of the military unit stationed in the town of Kant (the Chui Region)," the General Staff said.

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Russia has handed over "two Mi-8MT helicopters and P-18-2 radar stations" to the army of Kyrgyzstan, it specified.

At the handover ceremony, Russia was represented by Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin and Kyrgyzstan — by Deputy Chief of the General Staff Nurlan Chomoyev.

As Russia’s Defense Ministry reported, the military hardware delivered to the Kyrgyz side is worth over 770 million rubles ($12 million).

Russia signed an inter-governmental agreement with Kyrgyzstan several years ago on providing military and technical assistance to the Kyrgyz army. Under this deal, Kyrgyzstan received two Mi-8MT helicopters and nine BRDM armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles in the spring of this year.

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