Russia has been trying to use the resources of Central Asian countries in the war against Ukraine, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (HUR) reports.
First of all, according to the report, the Kremlin is interested in the possibility of replenishing stocks of Soviet ammunition and spare parts for military equipment.
“Recently, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation of the Russian Federation turned to the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan with a request for the transfer of 220-mm rockets to the Uragan MLRS. The Russians are also interested in ammunition for the 203-mm self-propelled gun Pion and UTD-20 engines for BMP-1 and BMP-2, which are stored in large quantities in military warehouses in Tajikistan,” the HUR report reads.
Also, HUR says, retired soldiers and employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan receive offers to sign a contract with the Russian army to take part in the war against Ukraine as a recruitment campaign is underway in Kyrgyzstan too.