The government of Russia approved and signed a credit of 38 million euros to be granted to Cuba for the “sustainable development” of its defense sector, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov this Wednesday.
“The agreement has been finalized and the documents signed. All parameters, such as interest, payment schedule and the currency in which refunds will be made, have been adopted in coordination with Cuba,” the Russian high-ranking official told Interfax.
Borisov, who co-chairs the Russia-Cuba intergovernmental commission and visited the island last year, stressed that both countries will benefit from the agreement, which aims to “ensure the sustainable development of Cuba’s defense sector in the coming years.”
Rusia y Cuba han firmado un acuerdo sobre la concesión por parte rusa al país latinoamericano de un crédito estatal de 38 millones de euros para la adquisición del equipo militar ruso https://t.co/OcQweHYVT5 pic.twitter.com/0YLAOmUEZ9
— RT en Español (@ActualidadRT) February 6, 2019
The director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Dmitry Shugaev, explained in an interview to the daily Kommersant that the loan will go “to the development of technological cooperation and giving technical assistance to the Cuban side”.
This cooperation will give Cuba “the opportunity to develop its long-term military-industrial complex,” he said.
Shugaev recalled that the intergovernmental agreement on technical-military cooperation with Cuba dates back to 2006.
In the past Russia has provided Cuba with “a considerable amount” of weapons and military equipment and has provided the island with military-technical assistance, the official stressed.
“There are aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense systems and marine equipment produced by us,” said Shugaev.
In November 2018, military delegations from both countries met in Moscow, led by the heads of both defense ministries: Army General Sergei Shoigu, for Russia, and Army Corps General Leopoldo Cintra Frias, for Cuba.
Más respaldo ruso para la economía y el desarrollo militar de Cuba
The collaboration between Havana and Moscow has been strengthened in recent years, with the signing of agreements and high-level visits. Recently, shipments of locomotives and other equipment from the Eurasian country have arrived on the island, and it was reported that Russia will help modernize Cuba’s railroad, air and energy network in the coming years,
Last November, during Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s trip to Russia, both countries signed bilateral agreements in various economic sectors and Putin promised aid to Cuba for the island’s process of modernization and reform of the economy.
Then, although it was not confirmed officially, the media reported on a possible credit from Russia to Cuba for the purchase of weapons, valued at that time in 50 million dollars.
EFE / OnCuba
