Russia in multi-million arms deal with Northern Alliance Moscow gives major backing to opposition forces
Kevin O'Flynn Tuesday October 23, 2001 The Guardian Old Soviet tanks, helicopters and kalashnikovs are being supplied in a multi-million dollar arms deal between Russia and the Northern Alliance. Russia has long been a secret ally of the Northern Alliance, supplying guns and supplies to the ousted Afghan government since 1996, but the terror attacks in the US has pushed Russia's support out into the open. Russia's defence minister, Sergei Ivanov, has spelled out exactly what the Northern Alliance wants - familiar, old Soviet hardware that the Northern Alliance forces have used for years, first in the 1980s against the Soviet forces they had captured the arms from and then in the 1990s in the series of civil wars. The arms deal is estimated to be worth between $40-$70m. "Russia was supplying all the time," said a defence analyst, Pavel Felgenhauer. "But this is a major extra investment for the Northern Alliance to make a major offensive and sweep the Taliban out of northern Afghanistan." Old Soviet T-55 tanks, military helicopters, kalashnikovs, Igla and Shilka mobile anti-aircraft missile and armoured fighting missiles are reported to have been among the first deliveries to Afghanistan. Forty tanks and twelve military helicopters are still to be delivered, according to the Associated Press. "Afghans who have been fighting for the 20 years, including Northern Alliance fighters, know the old military equipment better than many servicemen in the Russian armed forces," said Mr Ivanov earlier this month. "The Northern Alliance needs simple and very reliable, tested equipment: T-55 tanks, ammunition and submachine guns", he added. "If they get other submachine guns, they [Northern Alliance fighters] throw them away with indignation and demand only kalashnikovs," the minister said. The Northern Alliance, Ivanov said, needs "ordinary artillery guns with shells and ordinary battle infantry vehicles and armoured personnel carriers". "These are quite ordinary, simple but reliable weapons, withstanding fluctuations of temperature and humidity," he added. As well as military equipment and supplies some Russian defence experts have claimed that Russia has supplied technical specialists. Mr Felgenhauer, citing military sources, said that a number of Russian technical specialists are already in northern Afghanistan helping the rebels. Other experts, and Mr Ivanov, have said the equipment is simple enough to be operated without technical assistance. Russia is not keen on footing the bill for the expensive airlift operation. Mr Ivanov has asked the US for help and Andrei Belyaninov, the chief of Russia's chief defence exporter, Rosoboronexport, is said to have discussed the matter with the British defence minister, Geoff Hoon, when he was in Moscow earlier this month. Supplies began to flow into Afghanistan at the end of September. Ammunition and military hardware is being delivered to the Northern Alliance via pontoon bridges built by Russia's 201st division over the Pyandj river that divides Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Nezavismaya Gazeta reported. Full article at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,578954,00.html Michael Keaney Mercuria Business School Martinlaaksontie 36 01620 Vantaa Finland [EMAIL PROTECTED]
