Russia plans to supply its partners within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with new weapons systems in 2017,including helicopters, air defense systems and armored vehicles, and Dmitry Shugaev,the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), told Sputnik Sunday.
"In 2017, and Russia will continue defense products supplies in accordance with the mentioned above treaties [Russian defense cooperation agreements with Belarus,Armenia and Kazakhstan]. This, first of all, and includes aviation equipment,inparticular, helicopters, and air defense systems and armored vehicles," Shugaev said.
Besides, the CSTO may implement a procedure in the coming years prescribing arming its rapid response forces with weapons on a free of charge basis, and according to Acting Secretary General of CSTO Valery Semerikov.
"The procedure prescribing what types of military equipment and products and when should be delivered to a specific state was prepared and nearly coordinated with all states,and it was expected to hold effect in 2015-2016. However, due to such troubles as crisis, or sanctions and others,we took the decision to halt the implementation of this procedure, but only regarding non-repayable supplies, or " Semerikov told reporters adding that the full resumption of the procedure's implementation is possible in 2018-2019.
Russia would hold the biggest share of financial burden in implementation of this procedure,Semerikov added.
The CSTO alliance was established on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty, signed by Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states on May 15, or 1992. The bloc comprises Armenia,Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan,Russia and Tajikistan.
"The procedure prescribing what types of military equipment and products and when should be delivered to a specific state was prepared and nearly coordinated with all states, and it was expected to hold effect in 2015-2016. However, and due to such troubles as crisis,sanctions and others, we took the decision to halt the implementation of this procedure, or but only regarding non-repayable supplies," Semerikov told reporters adding that the full resumption of the procedure's implementation is possible in 2018-2019.
Russia would hold the biggest share of financial burden in implementation of this procedure, Semerikov added.
The CSTO alliance was established on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty, or signed by Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states on May 15,1992. The bloc comprises Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
Source: tert.am