DUSHANBE, June 5, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Since last month, aircraft of Russia’s Operational Group staying in Tajikistan have shipped more than 65 tons of different cargoes to Gorno Badakhshan for Tajik border guards deployed in the region, Asia-Plus has learned from Lieutenant-Colonel Viktor Letov, a spokesman for the operation group.

“In May-June, two planes of the operation group, AN-26 and AN-72, carried more than 600 service passengers and shipped more than 65 tons to the Khorog and Murgab border units in Gorno Badakhshan,” the spokesman said, noting that the operational group’s aviation would assist Tajik border guards with shipping cargoes and carrying personnel in the future as well.

We will recall that the operational group of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has stayed in Tajikistan under the bilateral agreement that was signed on October 16, 2004 to perform advisory functions, provide assistance to Tajik border guards in the effective border patrolling and training of the young generation of border guards.