Tag Archives: military bases

Tajikistan approves construction of Chinese military base

BISHKEK/OCT. 22/27 2021 (The Bulletin) — — Tajikistan approved the construction of a Chinese military base and Kyrgyzstan ordered military drones from Turkey, deals that challenge Russia’s traditional security dominance in Central Asia.

Under this new agreement, China will build a military base on Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan and publicly acknowledge a base that it has operated in the Pamir mountains for the past couple of years, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported by quoting what it described as a “communique sent from the Chinese Embassy in Dushanbe to Tajikistan’s Foreign Ministry”.

These are the only Chinese military bases in Central Asia and show just much influence China has built up in Tajikistan over the past few of years. Neither the Tajik nor Chinese governments have commented on the Chinese base expansion.

Kyrgyz officials were more open about their military deals with Turkey.

Kamchybek Tashiev, deputy PM and chairman of the Kazakh National Security Committee, said that the Kyrgyz military had placed an order for the Bayraktar TB2 drone.

“ Turkey is currently constructing Bayraktar drones for us,” media quoted him as saying. These drones are credited with helping Azerbaijan defeat Armenia in a war for Nagorno-Karabakh last year.

A couple of days later, Kyrgyz interior minister Ulan Niyazbekov flew to Istanbul to meet his Turkish counterpart. Turkish media reported that a bilateral security deal was imminent. The deals highlight Pres. Sadyr Japarov’s policy of cosying up to hardmen leaders since he took power in a coup last year.

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— This story was published in issue 505 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Oct. 28 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Russia gives military kit to Kyrgyzstan

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NOV. 27 (The Bulletin) — Russia has donated military kit worth a reported $12m to Kyrgyzstan, Janes defence and military news website reported. The donation included two Mi-8MT helicopter and two mobile radar kits. Although China has built up strong relations in Central Asia, Russia is still the main military ally.
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— This story was first published in issue 430 of the weekly Bulletin.

IS claims responsibility for attack near Dushanbe

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DUSHANBE/Nov. 8 (The Bulletin) — The IS extremist group claimed responsibility for an attack on a security checkpoint in Tajikistan that killed 17 people.

Tajikistan’s National Security Committee said that four cars carrying armed men and women attacked the checkpoint around 60km outside Dushanbe. Two members of the Tajik security forces and 15 assailants died in the attack. This year, the Tajik authorities blamed IS for deadly violence in a prison and last year, IS claimed responsibility for an attack on Western tourists that killed four people.

Tajik and Russian security analysts have said that IS and the Taliban are planning on targeting Tajikistan. >>See page 2 for comment

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— This story was first published in issue 428 of the weekly Bulletin.

Russia’s Lavrov says considering second airbase in Kyrgyzstan

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FEB. 4 (The Conway Bulletin) — In Bishkek, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia was open to discussing the option of opening up a second airbase in Kyrgyzstan. It has operated out of the Kant airbase near Bishkek since 2003. A few days later, though, Damir Sagynbaev, Kyrgyzstan’s security chief, said that the country had no intention of offering Russia the option of opening a second military air base.
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>This story was first published in issue 399 of The Conway Bulletin on Feb. 8 2019
Copyright The Conway Bulletin 2019

Russia’s Lavrov underlines importance of Tajik military base

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FEB. 5 (The Conway Bulletin) — On a trip to Dushanbe, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia’s base in Tajikistan was a vital bulwark against the spread north of Islamic extremism and the Taliban. He also promised to strengthen Russian forces at the base. Russia has warned for the past five years that militant Islamic forces intend to move north into Central Asia.
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>This story was first published in issue 399 of The Conway Bulletin on Feb. 8 2019
Copyright The Conway Bulletin 2019

Weapons depot at military base in Azerbaijan explodes

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AUG. 27 (The Conway Bulletin) — At least six people were injured when a weapons depot at a military base around 70km north of Baku exploded, hospital sources in Azerbaijan told media (Aug. 27).

In 2016, a blast at an arms factory near Baku killed at least two people and injured 22 more.

Eyewitness reports described a series of massive explosions at the base. Emergency services closed off nearby roads and evacuated two villages.

Azerbaijan’s defence ministry declined to comment on reports that a number of people had been injured.

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(News report from Issue No. 341, published on Aug. 27 2017)

Russia to reinforce military bases in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

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JUNE 7 2017 (The Bulletin) — Russia plan to reinforce its military bases in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in response to the move north of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said during a visit to Kazakhstan for a summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Earlier this year, the Taliban moved to within a few miles of the Amu Darya river that acts as the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, its furthest north. Russia keeps one of its largest overseas military bases in Tajikistan. The Kyrgyzstan base, at Kant near Bishkek, is far smaller. It is mainly used as an air base.

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(News report from Issue No. 332, published on June 12 2017)

Russia deploys missiles to Tajikistan

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MAY 25 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Russia deployed its Iskander ballistic missiles to Tajikistan for the first time for military exercises with the Tajik army, Russian media reported. It’s unclear how long Russia will maintain the Iskander missiles in Tajikistan. Earlier this month, the Taliban pushed towards the Afghan-Tajik border in its furthest drive north, alarming Tajikistan which deployed extra forces in its southern regions. Russia maintains a large military base in Tajikistan.

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(News report from Issue No. 330, published on May 28 2017)

Russian soldier dies in Armenia

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APRIL 22 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — A Russian soldier died after being stabbed in the neck at a shop outside Russia’s military base in Gyumri, Armenia, media reported. Investigators have said it is too early to discern a reason for the attack. Gyumri hosts one of the largest Russian military bases outside Russia. In 2015 a Russian soldier killed seven members of the same family in a knife attack.

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(News report from Issue No. 326, published on April 28 2017)

Georgia says Russia is still its biggest threat

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TBILISI, APRIL 25 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — In its latest national defence review, undertaken every four or five years, Georgia said that its biggest threat was still Russia despite a marked improvement in relations between the two neighbours since 2012.

Quoting from the Georgian language document, the civil.ge news website said that a build up of Russian forces in the Caucasus and the Black Sea region was a threat.

“The main factor for planning national defence and security still remains the threat from the Russian Federation,” the civil.ge website reported. The review has not yet been published in English.

Relations between Georgia and Russia have improved since the Georgian Dream came to power in 2012 and former president Mikheil Saakashvili fled into exile.

The report, which sets the tone and agenda for the Georgian military up to 2020, said that Russian aggression and its lack of respect for international law posed a serious threat to Georgia. In particular, the report’s authors said the build up of Russian military in the region “will weaken the West’s access to the Caucasus region, and, accordingly, decrease its capability to balance Russia.”

Russia has increased its military cooperation with the rebel Georgian states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia since a war with Georgia in 2008. This has included holding military exercises in South Ossetia deploying thousands of soldiers.

Since annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia has also strengthened its presence in the Black Sea.

Part of Georgia’s defence plan is to join NATO and in the Defence Review it said that it would continue to support NATO, EU and UN operations.

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(News report from Issue No. 326, published on April 28 2017)