Igor Korotchenko: Moscow-Baku military-technical cooperation not directed against third countries

Modern weapons which Baku buys in Russia is not directed against any third country, the editor-in-chief of 'National Defense' magazine, Igor Korotchenko, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza on the sidelines of the 6th Baku International Humanitarian Forum. Thus, he pointed out the fact that Azerbaijan constantly strengthens its defense capability to defend against Armenia's military aggression, which occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other Azerbaijani regions around it.

"I want to say that Azerbaijan receives the best weapons in the world - Russian weapons, which have been tested in real combat conditions in Syria. With the help of Russian weapons, Azerbaijan receives a first-class military and political status. Military potential means a lot in the modern world, it was proved by all the events of the last decades. We have a very good potential for the development of our military-technical cooperation, and I want to stress that supplies of Russian weapons to Azerbaijan is not directed against any third country," Igor Koroеchenko said in the first place.

"Today, in the conditions of sharply increasing threats in the world, including in the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus regions, strengthening Azerbaijan's military potential is primary increasing the state’s defense capability from a whole range of possible external military threats. It would be advantageous for Azerbaijan to set a goal of creating an integrated system of aerospace defense of Azerbaijan. Possible U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran could affect Azerbaijani territories, and they should be protected. It requires reliable air and space defense systems, including large shipments of S-400 antiaircraft missile systems and Russian air defence systems of medium and short range," he said.

According to the expert, Russia is also ready to provide Azerbaijan with radars and automated combat control systems. “An example of such cooperation in the region is the sale of S-400 systems to Turkey. We could also sell modern Su-30 and MiG-35 fighters to Baku,” Igor Korotchenko stressed.

The editor-in-chief of 'National Defense' magazine also praised the tradition of holding Baku International Humanitarian Forums. "This is a global forum, which raises key issues. Topics and composition of participants is an indicator of the high status of Azerbaijan and respect for the leaders, who organize such planetary events. The presence of Mrs. Golodets, representing the government of the Russian Federation, and President Putin's greeting letter to the participants of this forum is also an indicator of the attention that Russia is paying to this event," he said.

“The large Russian delegation represents all the spectra of the Russian socio-political field, including the government and experts. This is also an indicator of the status of the event. There are few countries in the world that are able to formulate such problems and invite representatives of leading states to speak on these issues.In terms of Azerbaijan's authority this is certainly a very important status event," Igor Korotchenko concluded.