Moscow denies reports its troops in Afghanistan October 9, 2001
MOSCOW (Reuters) - A leading Russian defense analyst said Tuesday Russian troops were already on the ground in Afghanistan, but Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov reiterated that no Russian troops would fight in the "war on terrorism."
Independent defense analyst Pavel Felgenhauer said Russian technicians, pilots and military advisers had been helping the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance in Afghanistan for several years, but that there had been a large influx of them recently.
Felgenhauer, speaking to Reuters, quoted informed sources as saying Russian soldiers had helped move tanks and other heavy equipment over the Pyandzh River from Tajikistan into Afghanistan. He estimated there were between 1,000 and 2,000 Russian troops in the country.
Ivanov, in the latest Russian denial of such reports, told RIA Novosti news agency Tuesday: "The participation of Russian servicemen in any operation in Afghanistan is not possible."
He was not responding directly to Felgenhauer's comments.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, setting out policy on Sept. 24, said Moscow would increase arms supplies to the Northern Alliance to support Washington's operations against "terrorist" bases in Afghanistan. Putin said Russian troops would be used only in search-and-rescue operations.
The United States and Britain launched missile attacks on Afghanistan Sunday after the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, prime suspect in last month's airliner attacks on the United States which left some 5,600 dead or missing.
Felgenhauer said that 20 miles north of the capital Kabul there were around 100-200 Russian troops "who call themselves military advisers and are manning the heavy equipment for the Northern Alliance."
He said it was a "secret operation" in violation of the Russian constitution, but was necessary as "the Northern Alliance simply do not have people who can man this type of equipment."
Reuters reporters in Afghanistan, specifically asked about the reports of Russian deployments, have said they have not seen any Russian troops in the country.