BISHKEK. Dec 6 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian warplanes left Kyrgyzstan on Friday after specialists studied the infrastructure of the Kant airfield 20km from Bishkek and made test flight.
"Two SU-25 Frogfoot attack planes of the Russian Air Force left the Kant airfield for the stationing base in Dushanbe and three SU-27 Flanker interceptors left for Orenburg," a source in the Kyrgyz Defense Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Two IL-76 Candid military transports left Kyrgyzstan for the Novgorod region, the source said.
The decision to transfer Russian warplanes to Kyrgyzstan was made by the nations signatories to the Collective Security Treaty. The warplanes will form the core of the aircraft component of the collective rapid-deployment force that is maintained in Central Asia by the nations signatories to the Treaty.
The stationing of the Russian aircraft team in Kyrgyzstan is temporary so far, but it is not ruled out that an agreement will be signed on its permanent basing in summer 2003.
The Kant airfield-based forces will include five SU-27 interceptors, five SU-25 attack planes, two AN-26 Curl and two IL- 76 military transports, five L-39 trainers, and two MI-8 Hip helicopters. About 700 servicemen and civilian personnel will serve at the base.