TSAMTO, June 24. On June 23, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, at a meeting with Kazakh Defense Minister Ruslan Zhaksylykov, announced the improvement of the unified regional air defense system of Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as the developing military-technical cooperation between the two countries.
"A new agreement on the development of military cooperation has entered into force, which has defined the current areas of interaction between our ministries," S. Shoigu recalled. "The key areas are, of course, the improvement of the Unified Regional Air Defense System of Russia and Kazakhstan, military-technical cooperation, personnel training, operational and combat training activities," the minister added.
Shoigu also said that a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS countries will be held on June 24, as well as a meeting of the heads of defense departments of Central Asia and Russia. They will provide information on the progress of the Russian special operation in Ukraine, as well as on the situation in Central Asia.
"Everyone began to forget Afghanistan a little, but nothing has changed there. The situation remains quite tense and serious. Everything that our American colleagues left there continues to degrade. All the risks that we talked about are increasing. This is also a manifestation of international terrorism... this is also the weapon that was left by the Americans in huge numbers and its distribution into not the best hands," the head of the defense department noted.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu highly appreciated the interaction with Kazakh colleagues, including within the framework of the CSTO, the CIS and the SCO.
"We highly appreciate the achieved level of cooperation with Kazakhstan both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of international formats and integration structures with the CSTO, the CIS and the SCO," Shoigu said.
He also clarified that the Russian military department considers Kazakhstan as the main strategic ally and the most important partner of Russia.
"Based on this, we are building cooperation in the military sphere, which is the most important factor in maintaining stability in the Central Asian region," Shoigu added.
The program of strategic partnership of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the military field for 2022-2024, according to the Russian Minister, is being successfully implemented.
The Russian Defense Minister invited his Kazakh counterpart Ruslan Zhaksylykov to the Moscow Security Conference and the Army Forum, which will be held in 2022.
"I take this opportunity to invite my colleagues to traditional events in August – the Moscow Conference on International Security, the Army International Games and the Army-2022 International Military-Technical Forum," Shoigu said.
One of the priorities of cooperation S. Shoigu called the Russian landfills operating on the territory of Kazakhstan, where modern and promising samples of weapons and military equipment are tested.
"We would like to appreciate with gratitude the work that our colleagues in Kazakhstan are doing to make these landfills workable, efficient, and useful, including in ensuring the security of our states," the Russian minister said.
In turn, the Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan Ruslan Zhaksylykov expressed hope for the development of relations with Russian colleagues.
"My visit today provides a basis for the development of our further relations. Today, as the head of our state, our President Tokayev, noted, Kazakhstan and Russia do not have any sharp corners or problems in relations," R. Zhaksylykov said.
He also clarified that the agreement on the development of military cooperation will deepen, new areas will be added to it.
"The issue of interaction should be considered somewhat deeper in terms of governing bodies, mutual exchange of information, and, of course, personnel training," R. Zhaksylykov added.
Ruslan Zhaksylykov, who recently took up the post of Defense Minister, also said that he was glad to meet Sergei Shoigu personally. He expressed hope that he would establish fraternal, trusting personal relations with his Russian counterpart, the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Russian Defense Ministry reports.
