DUSHANBE, January 31, Asia-Plus -- Commander of 5 ^th Army of Russia’s Air and Air-Defense Force, Lieutenant-General Vadim Volkovitsky arrived in Dushanbe today for an one-day working visit.  

According to the Ministry of Defense (MoD), during his stay in Dushanbe, Russian flag officer is scheduled to meet with top managers of Tajikistan’s State Air Company TajikAir to discuss the terms of further deployment of an air support of Russian military base in Tajikistan.

At present six SU-25s and several helicopters Mi-24 and Mi-8 of Russia Air Force are deployed at the military airfield Ayni and military personnel of the air support are deployed at the airport in Dushanbe.    

According to the MoD, Lieutenant-General Volkovitsky supervises providing security in the Central Asian region.  

            Radio Liberty quoted Russia’s Interfax as saying that deputy commander of Russia’s Air and Air-Defense Force, Lieutenant-General Aitech Bizhev announced on December 21, 2006, that Tajikistan’s Air and Air-Defense Force will be equipped with modern Russian air-defense and communications systems.  The Russia equipment, including the up-to-date air-navigation technology and automated command and control systems, is to be delivered to Tajikistan by February 2007.  The equipment will facilitate integration of the Tajik air-defense network within the broader system of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (SCTO).  Russia military technicians are also due to arrive in Tajikistan to assist in the installing the systems and to conduct training for Tajik Air and Air-Defense force personnel.