'Russia attaches great importance to anti-terror cooperation with Pakistan'

Published February 11, 2016
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif meets Russian Defence Minister General Sergey Shoigu at the PM House. ─ Dawn/File photo
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif meets Russian Defence Minister General Sergey Shoigu at the PM House. ─ Dawn/File photo

MOSCOW: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that Russia attaches great importance to counter-terrorist cooperation with Pakistan as a key player in the field, according to a report published on the Sputnik website.

"Pakistan is one of the key countries in the fight against terrorism. In this regard, Russia, of course attaches great importance to cooperation with Pakistan," Peskov told reporters.

Earlier in January this year, the Russian Army's Commander-in-Chief Oleg Salyukov had announced that Russian ground forces will hold its first ever military exercises with Pakistan in the coming year

A Russian delegation had also visited Pakistan last month to discuss the sale of military hardware and agreement to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries.

Read: Pak-Russia talks on delivery of Su-35, Mi-35s underway: Russian Deputy FM

Pakistan and Russia are in talks about the delivery of Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and the two countries have also previously agreed upon delivery of four Mi-35M helicopters, which followed a historic change in Russian policy towards Pakistan.

Russia and Pakistan have lately been working on enhancing defence cooperation and are believed to have already covered a lot of ground. Exchange of visits by military commanders in recent years is an indication of progress achieved in this regard.

Russia had lifted its embargo on arms supplies to Pakistan in June 2014 and signed a bilateral defence cooperation agreement with Pakistan to strengthen military-to-military relations in November 2014.

India’s decision to enter into tighter embrace with the US had prompted Russia to rethink its defence relationship with Pakistan.

Also read: Russian team holds talks on sale of military hardware

Opinion

Editorial

Missing justice
Updated 15 Jan, 2025

Missing justice

SC must at least ensure missing persons cases are heard with the urgency they deserve.
Racist talk
15 Jan, 2025

Racist talk

WHEN racist tropes are amplified by the expansive reach of social media, the affected communities face real-world...
Faceless customs
15 Jan, 2025

Faceless customs

THE launch of the faceless customs assessment system as part of the government’s Tax Transformation Plan is a...
Left behind
Updated 14 Jan, 2025

Left behind

Pakistan’s education statistics threaten to leave us behind in the global knowledge economy.
Mining tragedies
14 Jan, 2025

Mining tragedies

TWO recent deadly mining tragedies in Balochistan have once again exposed the hazardous nature of work in this...
Winter sports
14 Jan, 2025

Winter sports

FOR a country with huge winter sports potential, events in Pakistan are few and far between. Therefore, the start of...