BISHKEK—In a decisive move, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament officially ratified a pivotal agreement for the establishment of a joint regional air defense system with the Russian Federation, just one day ahead of the eagerly anticipated visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to this Central Asian nation.
This significant accord designates a sprawling land parcel spanning 12 acres within the confines of the Kant Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan, where the collaborative air defense program shall be headquartered.
The parliamentary session witnessed rigorous deliberations, culminating in the resounding adoption of the bill pertaining to the ratification of this historic agreement. As elucidated by the Kyrgyz parliament, the document solidifies the partnership between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation in their concerted efforts to establish a Joint Regional Air Defense System.
While President Putin’s visit to Kant was initially on the agenda, the Kyrgyz presidency made a startling announcement on Wednesday, confirming the abrupt cancellation of the visit, yet refrained from providing explicit details on the matter.
Nonetheless, President Putin is still slated to engage in discussions with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Sadyr Japarov, on the morrow. Furthermore, he is scheduled to participate in a summit of leaders from post-Soviet nations in the subsequent days.
This landmark defense agreement, spanning a duration of five years, as reported by the Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti, underscores the deepening collaboration between Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Notably, Russia has similarly cultivated defense agreements with other allied nations, such as Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Tajikistan.
This development transpires against the backdrop of escalating scrutiny directed at Moscow’s Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), a coalition encompassing six post-Soviet states. The CSTO has faced mounting criticism in recent months, notably for its perceived inaction when Azerbaijan launched a military campaign against the ethnic Armenian separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Compounding these concerns, the alliance has refrained from deploying peacekeeping forces to mitigate border tensions between fellow member states, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
