Russia mulls sending helicopters to Sudan

BRUSSELS, June 9, 2005 (Interfax) — Russia is considering sending four Mi-8 helicopters “with crews and service personnel totaling 120” to Sudan to take part in the UN peacekeeping mission in that country, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Thursday.

“The readiness of the Russian helicopter group has tentatively been planned for October this year,” Ivanov said at a meeting in Brussels of the Russia-NATO Council.

Russia has supported a UN Security Council resolution on Sudan, and the Russian president has ordered up to 50 Russian servicemen to be sent to the African country as communications officers, military observers and UN mission staff officers.

Ivanov said Russia was also currently considering humanitarian aid to the population of Sudan’s Darfur province.