The Russians land in Chad…

(BRUSSELS2) A Russian military Illiouchine-76 has just completed its third rotation, bringing five new soldiers from the group of Russian helicopters to Chad and equipment in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, after a refueling stopover, at Sebkha, in Turkey, according to Lieutenant-Colonel Vladimir Drik, press officer of the Commander of the Russian Air Force, quoted by our colleagues from Ria Novosti.

The cargo plane notably transported an AS-43501 medical vehicle mounted on the base of an all-terrain truck. On Wednesday evening, the plane will make a new rotation to bring new soldiers and a water transport vehicle to Ndjamena.

The first rotation had started on November 14, from the military airport of Tver (north of Moscow), taking 10 men and 10 tons of equipment. A second took place a few days later, including modular housing. About ten should be necessary in order to transport all the men and materials. The Russians moving, in fact, with complete equipment, and totally autonomous...

Stationed in Abéché, along with the other helicopters (French and Polish), the Russian contingent will be responsible for transporting cargo and UN agents and carrying out evacuation, search, rescue and patrol operations. It should include just over 100 men and four Mi-8MT helicopters equipped with the armaments and ammunition needed in Chad for 12 months according to the decree signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Russian helicopters could thus continue their mission beyond the EU mission and then pass under the UN banner from next March.

(NGV)