MEXICO CITY, May 8 (RIA Novosti) - Nicaragua intends
to buy Russian aircraft and helicopters for its armed forces,
regional media quoted the country's top military official as
saying on Friday.
"We are holding talks with Russia on the purchase of 4 to
8 helicopters and two aircraft for Nicaragua's Armed Forces,"
said Gen. Omar Halleslevens, the chief of the Nicaraguan army.
Halleslevens did not specify the type of the aircraft, but
said the purchases would be used in the fight against
drug-trafficking in the country and would not undermine the
military balance in Central America.
According to open sources, the Nicaraguan air force
currently has several Soviet-made Mi -8 Hip military transport
helicopters, at least five Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters, and
two An-26 Curl military transport planes.
Russia and Nicaragua concluded several bilateral
agreements after talks between the two countries' presidents,
Dmitry Medvedev and Daniel Ortega, in Moscow in December last
year.
Moscow recently announced plans to establish an
increasingly strong presence in Latin America.
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