The number of military aircraft, based at the Russian Air Force Kant in Kyrgyzstan, will be increased. Thus, Russia increases military presence in Central Asia - the traditional region of its interest.
Russia plans to increase the number of military aircrafts at the Kant airbase in Kyrgyzstan. This was said by the Collective Security Treaty Organization Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha at a press conference in Bishkek. According to him, "this decision corresponds to the situation that exists in Central Asia and Afghanistan", the Reuters reported. However, Bordyuzha did not say how many aircrafts would be transferred to the base.
CSTO Secretary General said that the military presence in airbases in Kant will be increased through creation of the collective rapid reaction force (CRRF). "The airbase will cover CRRF, the main feature of which is airmobility, and it must be qualitatively and quantitatively more powerful," the Interfax quoted Bordyuzha as saying.
Security would not worsen after withdrawal of the U.S. military bases.
Bordyuzha said that the security in Central Asia would not worsen after closing the U.S. military bases in Manas airbase in Kyrgyzstan. In February, Kyrgyzstan cut the agreement with the U.S. regarding piling American military contingent in the country. Under the agreement, the U.S. has to withdrawal its military contingent from the base till the mid August.
The decision to create CRRF was made at the special meeting of the CSTO in February 2009. The organization will unite special forces of internal affairs agencies and police, security agencies and special services, as well as authorized agencies to warn and remove consequences of emergency situations.
The Kant military airbase is located in the valley of the Chu River, 20 kilometers east of Bishkek. The base is part of the 5th Army Air Force and Air Defense. There are serving about 500 Russian soldiers, it is significantly less than the Manas airbase, where more than 1,000 American militaries serve.
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