OYO /Republic of the Congo/, June 4. /TASS/. President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso has confirmed that relations between Moscow and Brazzaville in the sphere of military-technical cooperation will develop, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with his Congolese counterpart Jean-Claude Gakosso.

"We will continue intensive military and military-technical cooperation. President Sassou Nguesso has confirmed this. It is in the interest of the defensive ability of the Republic of the Congo," Lavrov noted.

The republic is using Soviet and Russian weapons, including armored hardware, rocket artillery and helicopters. In May 2019, the Russian Defense Ministry and the Congolese military agency concluded a contract on sending Russian military specialists to the republic to train their Congolese colleagues to use, service and repair military hardware and other special equipment delivered to the country earlier.