Russia is ready to provide its ally Tajikistan with any assistance needed amid a worsening conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan, the TASS news agency cited Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying on Wednesday.
Shoigu said the additional supply of Russian arms to Tajikistan had already been arranged and that Russia was continuing to train Tajik military personnel, against the backdrop of a U.S.-led troop withdrawal after a 20-year intervention. (Reuters)