Russia To Send No Troops To Afghanistan: Defence Minister

No units or groupings of the Russian Armed Forces will be introduced into Afghanistan, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has said in comments on media reports claiming the Russian General Staff has started raising an about thousand-peacekeeper-strong contingent which is allegedly to leave for Afghanistan in the near future. The information is totally untrue, said the minister. Yet, emphasized Ivanov, Russia is actively engaged in the humanitarian operation in Afghanistan, playing the key role in rendering humanitarian aid to the country, the fact which is admitted by all those involved in the effort, including the USA. There are various plans for a peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan, however Russia is not going to be part of them, said Ivanov.