Russia and the United States have agreed on the conditions of a $367-million deal for the supply of Russian helicopters to Afghanistan and will sign the document soon, the Kommersant daily reported on Wednesday citing military officials.
The United States and Russia have been in talks for over a year on the deal to provide the much-needed vehicles for the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
"The Americans have informed me that the contract will be signed very soon," said General Abdul Wahab Wardak, Chief of Staff of the Air Force in Afghanistan. "We expect to receive 21 Mi-17 helicopters by the end of the year."
He said the cost of one helicopter had been agreed at $17.5 million.
The Mi-17 is an export version of the Mi-8 Hip helicopter. Currently in production at two factories in the Russian Volga area city of Kazan and the East Siberian city of Ulan-Ude, it features powerful turboshaft engines and can transport up to 37 passengers.
NATO will support and maintain the vehicles, German Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Michael Steiner told the paper, but any actual future repairs will most likely be carried out by Russian engineers. Russia will also help train Afghan pilots.
The alliance, which originally led the talks in place of the United States, sees a shortage of helicopters as one of the main handicaps in fighting the Taliban.
MOSCOW, April 6 (RIA Novosti)
