On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, according to the independent Kyrgyz news agency AKIpress, the Chief of the General Staff at the Ministry of Defense of Kyrgyzstan announced that deliveries of the S-300 (DIA/NATO code: SA-10 Grumble) air and missile defense system, ordered from Russia in 2021, will begin soon.
Photo: Ministry Of Defence Of Russian Federation
Mukambetov also mentioned that negotiations are ongoing regarding the purchase of additional air defense systems, and the delivery of the S-300 system is expected in the coming months.
Russia and Kyrgyzstan are working on establishing a joint regional air defense system within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). This system aims to enhance the collective defense capabilities of CIS member states, particularly in Central Asia, where air defense infrastructure has historically been less developed. Russia has similar agreements with other CIS countries, including Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Tajikistan.
Mukambetov referred to recent conflicts to emphasize the importance of this purchase: “The events in Ukraine and Israel have shown that this task should be taken seriously to ensure security. We are studying the air defense experiences of Russia, Ukraine, and Israel. Experts are conducting an analysis, noting all the pros and cons.”
The agreement on this matter was signed during the visit of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov to Moscow on February 24-25, 2021, and it also included the delivery of an undisclosed type of combat drones, as reported by the president’s spokesperson, Galina Baiterek.
The agreements on further military-defensive cooperation were important. In particular, agreements on shipment of S-300 missile systems and strike drones, which will become Russia’s important contribution to the security of both the Kyrgyz republic and the EAEU and CSTO outer borders, said Baiterek at that time.
The agreement was the result of a 15-year military cooperation agreement from September 2012, the details of which were announced by the then-President of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, during his visit to Moscow on December 16, 2013. The agreement, estimated to be worth $1 billion, was to cover artillery systems, tanks, anti-aircraft missile systems, and other military equipment to modernize the Kyrgyz Armed Forces.
The agreement also extended the permission for Russian troops to be stationed at the Kant airbase in the Chuy Region, where they have been present since October 23, 2003. It is worth noting that from December 2001 to June 3, 2014, an American contingent was stationed at the Manas airbase in Kyrgyzstan, supporting operations in Afghanistan against the Taliban.
The Ground Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan currently have air defense systems inherited from the USSR. These include primarily short-range missile systems 9K32 Strela-2 and 9K35 Strela-10 (4 units), self-propelled artillery systems ZSU-23-4 Shilka (24 units), anti-aircraft guns S-60 (24 units), and missile systems S-75M3 Dvina and S-125 Neva/Pechora. In September 2020, the possession of Chinese short-range air defense systems Flying Leopard 6C on Dongfeng EQ2050 chassis was revealed.
In 2023, additional Pechora-2BM systems were purchased from Belarus, along with various unmanned systems from Turkey, such as the Bayraktar TB2 (October 21, 2021), and the Akıncı from Baykar Makina, as well as the Aksungur and Anka from TAI. Additionally, Kyrgyzstan is negotiating with Russia for the potential future acquisition of the S-400 Triumf system.
On November 22 of last year, during a meeting with the cabinet, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin announced the transfer of two S-300 batteries to the armed forces of the Republic of Tajikistan. Among the post-Soviet Central Asian republics, only Kazakhstan had previously possessed systems of this family (S-300PS).