Russia's Putin orders talks on joint air defense system with Kyrgyzstan

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered the Defense and Foreign Ministries to hold talks with Kyrgyzstan on a joint air defense system.

Putin has also authorized the ministries to sign an agreement if the talks prove successful, according to the text of an order published on a government website.

In 2021, Putin issued similar orders to the Russian Defense Ministry for talks with Tajikistan to set up a common air defense system.

Both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-led military bloc of several former Soviet states.