MOSCOW. April 10 (Interfax-AVN) - A commission of the Russian army aviation commander left for Sierra Leone overnight to Wednesday to inspect the Russian helicopter detachment deployed in the country as part of the UN forces, Army Aviation Commander Colonel General Vitaly Pavlov told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Pavlov said that the principal objective of the move is to carry on an on-site inspection of the Russian pilots' living conditions and the way they fulfill UN missions. Members of the inspection headed by deputy army aviation commander in charge of armament Major General Sergei Dementyev are to operate in Sierra Leone for 10 days. Pavlov also stressed the importance of the moral support for the Russian pilots flying on combat missions twice or three times a day.
"Our pilots and aircraft have been efficiently operating for two years in adverse climate conditions, providing support to ground troops and decently representing the Russian Armed Forces in the UN international forces," Pavlov stressed. The detachment operating in Sierra Leone is fully equipped with required assets that are always maintained in combat readiness, he said.
The Russian helicopter detachment was deployed in Sierra Leone in August 2000 in accordance with the corresponding directive of the UN Security Council. The detachment numbers 115 servicemen operating four MI-24 Hind fire support helicopters.