BISHKEK. Jan 22 (Interfax-AVN) - The U.S. government has donated two MI-8MTV helicopters to Kyrgyzstan under the Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance Program (EXBS). The helicopters will help to contain contraband trade.
The helicopters were purchased and repaired in Kazakhstan. The U.S. government assigned USD3.5m for the project.
The helicopters are the United States' first large donation in the history of American-Kyrgyz relations, U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Steven Young said while transferring the helicopters to Kyrgyzstan on Thursday.
He said this assistance will continue and the United States is considering the purchase of more helicopters for the Kyrgyz Armed Forces.