WARSAW — Russia has unveiled plans to provide military assistance to Cameroon to support that country's combat against the Islamist terrorist organization Boko Haram.
Russian Ambassador to Cameroon Nikolay Ratsiborinski told Cameroonian President Paul Biya that Moscow will provide a wide range of military equipment to the Cameroonian armed forces with the aim of supporting its counterterrorism efforts, the president's office said in a statement.
Under the plan, the supplied gear would is to include heavy artillery, missiles, air defense equipment, anti-aircraft missile systems, canons and armored vehicles, as well as other weapons and equipment.
Ratsiborinski was quoted as saying that Russia wants to partner with Cameroon in the military field, securing the country's borders and developing its economic infrastructure, in particular in the country's far north region. In addition, to this, Moscow will provide "specialized military training" to Cameroonian troops.
The weapons and military equipment are expected to be supplied to Cameroon "by the end of the year," the statement said.
Earlier this month, Biya appealed for international military aid to combat Boko Haram after the organization threatened to intensify its cross-border raids into Cameroon from neighboring Nigeria, where the terrorist group is based.
Email: jadamowski@defensenews.com.
Jaroslaw Adamowski is the Poland correspondent for Defense News.
