Russia calls off joint military drills with Pakistan

[Darth Malgus]

Well, looks like the diplomatic offensive has started, looking forward for more....

 

[FRYCRY]

Fake news.......no russian sources have confirmed this

 

[Satybharat]

Please share russian link...............

 

[Scarface]

I wouldn't call this fake but it remains questionable until a Russian source or International media corroborates this.

 

[lupgain]

No confirmation from credible news agency yet

 

[Compersion]

India please have a Nuke test(s) ...

Uri needs be responded by us stomping the ground. Such exercises ... Even Why attack across border and have economic tail spin ... Better we do some nuke test(s) show some balls and physique (MIRV) etc ... A reset a transformation a transition to where we belong ... Goodness and righteous and righteousness !!

 

[musalman]

The exercise was first announced in January and is a signal that “Moscow and Islamabad are interested in deepening military-to-military relations,” Pakistan’s ambassador to Moscow Qazi Khalilullah told TASS.

“This obviously indicates a desire on both sides to broaden defense and military-technical cooperation,” he said.

The Friendship 2016 drill is going ahead despite speculation that they may be canceled, which surfaced after tensions between Pakistan and India escalated in the wake of the September 18 attack on Indian troops stationed in Uri, a town in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Moscow informed New Delhi of the scheduled joint exercise with Pakistan and is certain that they should not concern India, considering that they are conducted far from the disputed territories, Zamir Kabulov, the chief or Russian Foreign Ministry’s Middle East department told RIA Novosti.

The Russian defence ministry said the exercise was aimed at strengthening and developing military cooperation with Pakistan aimed at, among other things, "eliminating illegal armed groups", the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

In 2014, Moscow lifted a longstanding ban on sale of arms to Pakistan. Last year the two countries signed a deal on four Russian Mil Mi-35M attack helicopters, which are meant to replace Pakistan’s aging US-made AH-1 Cobras.