DUSHANBE. Aug 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia's 201st motorized rifle division based in Tajikistan is capable of training junior officers for the Afghan army, the division's deputy commander on PR Major Andrei Artyshuk told Interfax on Wednesday.
"The division has vast experience in training personnel. It has trained dozens of sergeants, commanders and drivers of combat vehicles, as well as junior commanders for the Tajik Defense Ministry," Artyshuk said.
On Sunday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced that a center for training junior officers for the Afghan armed forces may be set up on the basis of the 201st division.
"The most optimal place for such training is the Russian 201st division in Dushanbe. The courses of training junior officers for the Afghan army might be organized in forthcoming 10- 11 months," Ivanov said.
The Russian defense minister named several reasons why the 201st division is suitable for the training of Afghan military. "It decreases expenses and makes training conditions even the ground specifications closer to those the Afghan army needs," he stressed.
At the same time Artyshuk said that the unit "is capable to accomplish any missions stated by the Russian defense minister including those aimed at training junior officers for the Afghan army."
Artyshuk stressed that the division's command does not have such task so far but "the 201st motorized rifle division has all needed conditions to train junior officers."