Russia offers Philippines help to build submarine

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – Russia on Tuesday offered the Philippines help to build a submarine for the country.

The offer came by Russia’s ambassador in Manila Igor Khovaev during a news conference with a group of journalists in Makati city.

“Being an archipelagic nation, the Philippines has the right to develop its submarine force,” Philippines News Agency (PNA) quoted Khovaev as saying.

“[It] needs a submarine fleet to protect its waters,” he said, claiming that Russian submarines are the “best in the world.”

"We are willing to help you [Philippines] like [what we did in] Vietnam," Khovaev said.

Manila had conflict with Beijing over its waters in past and it even won the case in international arbitration court over violation of its maritime territories in South China Sea.

However, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said during his last trip to China that his country was ready to move forward for a joint collaboration and to overlook the ruling of the international court.

Moscow supplied Vietnam with six Kilo-class submarines.

The Philippines Navy had paid its first-ever port visit to Vladivostok in Russia last year and also took an inspection tour.

The PNA reported that Russia was willing to provide advanced versions of its Kilo-class submarines to the Philippines through "soft loans."