Tag Archives: military bases

Weapons depot at military base in Azerbaijan explodes

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)

Tajikistan holds war games with Russia

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MARCH 27 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Tajikistan and Russia started a four day military exercise near the border with Afghanistan in a show of force designed to demonstrate the resolve of the two countries and the strength of their alliance. Media reports said that the military exercise involved 40,000 Tajik soldiers, 2,000 Russian soldiers and several hundred tanks and artillery pieces. Russia has said it is worried about the potential of Taliban encroachment into Tajikistan from Afghanistan.

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(News report from Issue No. 322, published on March 27 2017)

Russia wants airbase in Tajikistan

DEC. 27 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — The Kremlin has started talks with the Tajik leadership on taking over the Anyi airbase in Tajikistan, media quoted the Russian ambassador in Dushanbe as saying. Russia already operates a military base in Tajikistan as well as an airbase in Kyrgyzstan. Taking over the airbase would still represent a rise in Russia’s military presence in the region.

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(News report from Issue No. 311, published on Jan. 6 2017)

Kyrgyz President says Russia should leave Kant

DEC. 1 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — At a press conference, Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev said that Russia would have to quit its air base at Kant near Bishkek. He didn’t elaborate or give any details but he did say that he wanted all foreign military to quit Kyrgyzstan. Russia has signed a deal with Kyrgyzstan to operate from Kant until 2032. It started operations at Kant in 2003. The US quit its airbase outside Bishkek in 2014.

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(News report from Issue No. 307, published on Dec. 2 2016)

Russia strengthens base in Tajikistan

JUNE 14 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Russian army ramped up its hardware at its base in Tajikistan by delivering 100 armed personnel carriers and tanks. Russian officials did not say why they were upgrading their military kit in Tajikistan. Russia has previously warned of the threat by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The military base in Tajikistan is Russia’s largest foreign military facility.

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(News report from Issue No. 285, published on June 17 2016)

Russia complains about Georgian military exercises

MAY 12 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Russia complained about a military exercise in Georgia involving US and British forces, saying that it was a destabilising influence.

The exercise is the biggest joint NATO-Georgia exercise ever run in Georgia and, for the first time involves heavy US tanks. Georgia has made clear its desire to join NATO and views these exercises as important milestones. Reuters reported that 650 US soldiers were involved in the exercise, 500 Georgian soldiers and 150 British soldiers.

Russia and Georgia fought a war in 2008 over the rebel region of South Ossetia. Relations have improved but both sides are wary.

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(News report from Issue No. 280, published on May 13 2016)