The Chief of Staff of the Algerian army Said Changriha met Thursday, November 10 in Algiers, the director of the federal service of the Russian military coordination, Dimitri Evguenievich Chougaev. According to the Algerian Defense Ministry, this visit is part of the highly developed military cooperation between the two countries. This just before joint military maneuvers planned for November in Algeria, aimed at fighting terrorism. By the end of the year, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is also expected in Moscow.
These military maneuversplanned for a year, will take place in the region of Béchar, in southwestern Algeria in the Hmakir military base, less than fifty kilometers from the Moroccan border – land forces but also paratroopers will participate.
The meeting between Russian and Algerian officials allowed both sides to review the state of their bilateral military cooperationwhile a new strategic partnership » is in preparation.
According to several sources, these military talks in Algiers also aim to prepare for the next visit of the Algerian president to Moscow. A contract worth 11 billion dollars is being prepared, according to media close to the Algerian power: Algeria is seeking to modernize its army which has aging equipment.
According to statements by the Chief of the Army Staff, Algeria plans to become the first international buyer of Russian stealth fighters, the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate. Juicy contracts for the Kremlin, in the midst of the war in Ukraine and despite the sanctions of the West.
Algeria approved last October the increase of its military budget by 130%: this budget will reach 23 billion dollars by next year. The country is also the largest importer of Russian weapons in the world, ahead of China and India.
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