Moscow: With the restoration of normalcy
in Kyrgyzstan, Russia on Thursday recalled its paratroopers from its
base near capital Bishkek, that were sent to protect Russian
military facilities in the wake of violence last month.
"A total of 270 paratroopers have been recalled from
Kyrgyzstan as tensions in the republic have eased," Defence
Ministry spokesman Lt Col Alexander Cherednik was quoted as
saying by Interfax.
He said the paratroopers of the 31st Independent
airborne strike brigade have been flown to their home base in
Ulyanovsk (Volga region) this morning onboard three Ilyushin
IL-76 aircraft.
President Dmitry Medvedev had ordered to send crack
paratrooper units to the Russian base on June 13 to enhance
security at Russia's Kant military base.
He had, however, refused to intervene to stop the
ethnic violence in the southern regions of Osh and Jalalabad,
saying it was an internal matter of the former Soviet
republic.
Lt Col Cherednik said two more paratrooper companies
sent by the General Staff in April after the ouster of the
Kurmanbek Bakiyev regime, remained at the Kant airbase for
protecting the base and its personnel.
Kant airbase in north Kyrgyzstan was set up in 2004
and is seen as Russia's fore post in the volatile Central
Asian region close to Afghanistan and China's Muslim-dominated
provinces.
According to local media reports Moscow has deployed
its Su-27 fighter-interceptors and Su-25 assault aircraft on
the Kant base.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, July 08, 2010, 17:42