Russia, Kyrgyzstan Plan Joint Air Defense System Following Similar Deal with Tajikistan

Russia is planning to create a joint air defense system with Kyrgyzstan, four months after it struck a similar deal with Tajikistan.

“Currently, a draft agreement on creating a Russia-Kyrgyzstan integrated regional air defense system "is undergoing the procedure of inter-state approval," Deputy Chairman of the Air Defense Coordination Committee under the CIS Defense Ministers’ Council Colonel-General Yuri Grekhov said on Tuesday.

Following the completion of this work, the draft deal will be submitted to the defense ministers of both countries for signing.

The Tajik-Russian agreement is undergoing its ratification. “The agreement on creating the integrated regional air defense system of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan signed on April 27, 2021, is undergoing the procedure of its ratification," the general said after a meeting of the Air Defense Coordination Committee.

Announcing the deal with Tajikistan in April, Russian Defense minister Sergei Shoigu said, “In order to increase the reliability of the state border protection in the airspace, we have prepared a draft agreement on the creation of a joint regional air Defense system of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan. I propose to sign this agreement at the end of the meeting.”

The situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating, and Russia and Tajikistan are working on planning a joint response to possible threats from this direction, Shoigu said.

"Against the background of the deterioration of the situation in neighboring Afghanistan, we are planning a joint response to possible threats, working out issues of practical cooperation during the exercises," he said.

Russia is discussing similar deals with Kazakhstan and Armenia. “Work is underway for the practical implementation of the agreements between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Kazakhstan," Grekhov added.