Document on military base expected to be signed during Putin's visit to Bishkek

Bishkek, Mar. 28, 2019. /Kabar/. A document amending the agreement on the Russian military base is expected to be signed during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Bishkek on March 28, Aide to the President of Russia Yury Ushakov told journalists.

"It is meant that a document that makes some changes and additions to the agreement between our countries on the status and conditions of stay at the united Russian military base of September 2012 will be signed," Ushakov said.

According to him, the document contains some clarifications that should be "for the benefit of the actual functioning of this base in the future." The delegation will include Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Alexander Fomin, who will participate in the signing of this protocol with amendments from the Russian side.

When asked to clarify whether the recently published draft protocol, which deals with increasing the rental cost, Ushakov said: "it includes rent, some organizational issues as well."

He explained that this protocol is necessary because the underlying agreement was concluded in 2012 and some clarifications were required.

The Russian Kant airbase was opened in Kyrgyzstan in October 2003 as an aviation component of the Collective Rapid Reaction Force of the CSTO. Its main tasks are the air cover of the CSTO ground operations. It is equipped with Su-25SM aircraft and Mi-8MTV helicopters and is structurally part of the Central Military District of Russia. On Tuesday, the legal information portal published a draft protocol on amending the agreement of 2012, according to which Russia and Kyrgyzstan agreed to increase the annual rent for land under the joint base of the Russian Armed Forces by 291 thousand dollars.