Russia to reinforce its Tajikistan base with new tanks

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon walk along Red Square after a military parade on Victory Day, which marks the 76th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in central Moscow, Russia May 9, 2021. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is to equip its military base in Tajikistan, which neighbours Afghanistan, with 30 new tanks by the end of the year, the Interfax news agency reported.

Moscow has held military exercises in Tajikistan and expanded the hardware at the base, its biggest in a foreign country, since the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban's lightning takeover.