Russian military equipment to be used in Afghanistan

Russia is withdrawing its equipment from Transdniestria, a breakaway region of today’s Republic of Moldova. The withdrawal is to be completed in three stages. The fist military train laden with armoured vehicles is due to depart for Russia today. The next, with artillery, is to depart on November 10th. On November 12th, a train is to depart carrying command vehicles for fire control. According to military sources, the trains’ destination point will be the Narofominsk station in the Moscow Region, from where part of the materiel is supposed to be sent to Afghanistan to help the Northern Alliance. In Afghanistan, a Northern Alliance’s large-scale offensive is reportedly being planned, and the Russian material is sure to come in handy. Russia has been helping the Northern Alliance for 11 years. After the ongoing anti-terror operation started, arms supplies have doubled. To offset the withdrawal of military equipment (which the Tiraspol regime regards as Transdniestrian people’s property), Russia is ready to write off part of its gas debts. The above deal seems quite sensible. Russia ,thereby, kills two birds with one stone. First, Russia will supply second-hand material to the Northern alliance for the price of new, having minimized its expenses. Secondly, it makes a gesture towards Moldova, which is very promising for Russia economically.

Dmitri Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2001/11/08/33554.html