The geopolitical situation around the Ayni air base in Tajkistan has always been murky. And according to this story reporting the completion of renovations to the base, that has not changed. Russia may be using the base, or it might not be, and may have moved all of its air assets from Tajikistan into Kyrgyzstan, and India doesn't seem to be using the Ayni base, even though it paid for the renovation, but Tajikistan is hosting its air force there, even though Jane's deadpans that, that force is "not even an air force in the generally accepted sense." Got it? According to Ferghana.ru:
Russian military forces are not based in the Ayni aerodrome, close to Dushanbe. This was announced by Ramil Nadirov, the Joint Staff Chief of the Republic of Tajikistan armed forces and the first deputy Defense Minister of the Republic. According to him "after finishing the modernization of the aerodrome Tajikistan signed the state acceptance certificate and now the aerodrome hosts the national air force"....
Ferghana.Ru sources in the Tajik Defense Ministry also confirm the existence of agreement between Russia and Tajikistan about joint use of Ayni aerodrome. However, we were not able to get official confirmation.
Meanwhile, Pavel Konev, the press-secretary of 201th RF military base in Tajikistan informed that entire aviation component of the base was relocated to Kant base in Kyrgyzstan long ago. "I have no information about the presence of Russian air force in Ayni aerodrome. The battle-planes, formerly located in the airport of Dushanbe, were moved to Kyrgyzstan" he said.
Joshua Kucera, a senior correspondent, is Eurasianet's former Turkey/Caucasus editor and has written for the site since 2007.
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