Russia has denied an earlier statement from a Navy chief that it was looking to establish naval bases abroad, setting up what would be the countries first foreign bases since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Vice-admiral Viktor Chirkov was earlier reported to have told the RIA Novosti state news agency that Russia was in talks with Cuba, Vietnam and the Seychelles about exploring the possibility of setting up naval bases, stating,
However the statement was sharply rebuked by Russia’s Defence Ministry, who in a statement released on their website said,
During President Vladimir Putin's first term in 2002, Russia closed down their Cam Ranh base in Vietnam, first established in 1979 at the height of the Cold War.
Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang was in Russia earlier this week and stated that whilst Vietnam has “no intention of co-operating with any country with the aim of military use of the port of Cam Ranh”, they would “provide Russia with advantages in Cam Ranh, including the aim of developing military co-operation”.
Vice-admiral Viktor Chirkov was earlier reported to have told the RIA Novosti state news agency that Russia was in talks with Cuba, Vietnam and the Seychelles about exploring the possibility of setting up naval bases, stating,
“It’s true that we are continuing work on providing the navy with basing outside the Russian Federation,”He went on to say Russia was “working out the issue of creating sites for material and technical support on the territory of Cuba, the Seychelles and Vietnam”.
However the statement was sharply rebuked by Russia’s Defence Ministry, who in a statement released on their website said,
"Issues concerning international relations are not part of the responsibilities of the commander-in-chief of the navy,"It went on to say the reported comments were,
"fantasy of their author, who preferred to prioritise sensationalism above competency and professional ethics".Russia only has two remaining overseas bases; one in Ukraine and the other in the Syrian port of Tartus.
During President Vladimir Putin's first term in 2002, Russia closed down their Cam Ranh base in Vietnam, first established in 1979 at the height of the Cold War.
Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang was in Russia earlier this week and stated that whilst Vietnam has “no intention of co-operating with any country with the aim of military use of the port of Cam Ranh”, they would “provide Russia with advantages in Cam Ranh, including the aim of developing military co-operation”.
