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Russia likely to offer defense equipment during PRRD visit

By Priam Nepomuceno

October 1, 2019, 3:21 pm

<p>Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. <em>(File photo)</em></p>

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. (File photo)

MANILA -- Russia is likely to offer the Philippines various defense equipment during the visit of President Rodrigo R. Duterte and his party to Moscow this week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Monday.

"Siyempre they will interest us to buy their equipment: transport helicopters, attack helicopters, multirole fighters, sh(i)ps, drones, tanks, etc. They will give us a catalog of their products for our consideration," Lorenzana said in a message to reporters when asked on what the President's visit to Russia this week will entail for the Department of National Defense.

Lorenzana, however, said he is not privy on whether this offer will include Russian diesel-electric submarines which it had offered earlier.

"Maybe. But I am not sure," Lorenzana stressed.

Last October, the Philippine Navy (PN)'s Naval Task Force 87 visited a Russian Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine during its first-ever port visit in Vladivostok.

The submarine visited was the Komsomolsk-Na-Amure.

The PN task force included the strategic sealift vessel BRP Tarlac (LD-601). Duterte and his party are expected to visit the cities of Moscow and Sochi by October 1 to 5 upon the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (PNA)

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