Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk
KABUL: The Afghan government is mulling to buy Russian Mi-35 helicopters, said Shakir Kargar, President Ghani’s special envoy on the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.
“We intend to buy Mi-35 helicopters from Russia. This issue is on the agenda. I think we will begin negotiations on that in the nearest future,” Kargar said in an interview with Interfax the other day.
Kargar reiterated that the Afghan Armed Forces are equipped with Russian weapons “and therefore we are buying guns, cartridges and other munitions from Russia.”
Kargar also spoke about the enterprises built in Afghanistan by under the Soviets, adding that most of them are not working now.
“The reason is the lengthy war in Afghanistan. However, we are conducting negotiations with Russia to restore them. In regards to the military sphere, I can say that our students are studying in Russian universities. Some 500 Russian helicopters are flying in the Afghan sky,” he said.
Kargar also said Afghanistan is interested in trade-economic cooperation with Russia.
“Our trade with Russia decreased greatly in the past 5-6 years. We need to increase it,” he said.
