Russia Delivers Tanks, Armored Vehicles, Helicopters to Tajikistan

Russia today delivered battle tanks, armored carriers, helicopters, howitzers and several other weapons and vehicles to Tajikistan to help protect its borders from terrorists operating in Afghanistan.

Among the arms and equipment delivered were T-72B1 tanks, BTR-80 and BTR-70 armored personnel carriers, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters, D-30 howitzers, anti-aircraft mounts, surveying equipment, spare parts for armored vehicles, communications equipment, logistic property and a large number of small arms, TASS reported.

"The transferred armaments and military equipment will make it possible to expand the capabilities of Tajikistan’s armed forces to repel the terror threat and create an effective barrier along the Tajik-Afghan border," chief of the Main Directorate of the International Military Cooperation at the Russian Defense Ministry Maj. Gen. Alexander Kshimovsky said during the delivery ceremony as quoted by the Russian news agency.

The value of the arms delivered today and terms were not revealed. However Kshimovsky was quoted a as saying, "In 2017, Tajikistan received $ 122 mln worth of Russian military products."