Russia marks 21st anniversary of Soviet pullout from Afghanistan.

MOSCOW, February 15 (Itar-Tass) - Russia commemorates the 21st
anniversary of Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan on Monday. On February
15, 1989 at 10:30 General Boris Gromov, the commander of the 40th army,
crossed a bridge across the Amudarya River that separated the former USSR
from Afghanistan.

That put an end to a 10-year undeclared war that claimed the lives of
about 15,000 Soviet soldiers and officers and of at least 100,000 Afghans.
Tens of thousands of people from both sides remained invalids.
According to the Russian public movement of veterans of local wars and
military conflicts, 'Combat brotherhood', more than 700,000 Russians went
through the furnaces of Afghanistan.
There's every reason to believe that February 15 will soon become a
national holiday. On January 27 this year the Russian State Duma
considered in the second reading a government bill on establishing a new
red-letter date in the Russian calendar: that is the Day of memory for the
Russians who performed their line of duty beyond the boundaries of their
Fatherland. The document will take effect immediately after being signed
by the Russian president.
The head of the Public Committee of War Veterans, Hero of the Soviet
Union Ruslan Aushev, says that 271 Soviet soldiers and officers, of whom
136 are Russians, are still considered to be missing in Afghanistan.
Aushev believes that the remains of all Soviet soldiers and officers who
perished in Afghanistan during the war should be brought to Russia for
burial. The Aushev-headed committee organizes search expeditions to
Afghanistan two or three times a year. They search for the remains of
fallen soldiers and former prisoners of war who may still be in
Afghanistan. Thanks to the committee's work, the remains of more than 20
Soviet soldiers and officers have been brought to Russia and several
former prisoners of war have returned home.
On Monday, wreaths and flowers will be laid to the monument to
soldiers who performed their internationalist duty in Afghanistan on the
Poklonnaya Hill and to their graves at the cemetery of the New Maiden's
Convent and other places linked to the memory of the dead.

.Russia to present defence achievements at arms fair in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI, February 15 (Itar-Tass) - The Defexpo India -2010
exhibition of land and naval systems will open in the Indian capital on
Monday. Apart from Russia and India, more than 40 countries will
participate in this arms fair. They include the United States, Israel,
Italy, Sweden, Britain, Venezuela, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Russia
will present the latest developments in the field of defence.
The Indian government supports the exhibition, which is organized by
the Russian Defence Ministry. Indian Defence Minister Arakkaparambil
Antony will deliver an opening speech at the opening ceremony, which will
be attended by visiting Russian vice-premier Sergei Sobyanin. He's arrived
in New Delhi for a working visit.
The state corporation 'Rostechnologiya' is responsible for the Russian
exposition this year. The Russian side has rented more than 400 square
meters of exhibition space. Sixteen Russian enterprises will demonstrate
the latest achievements of the Russian military-industrial complex in the
Russian pavilion. They include 'Rosoboronexport', 'Splav', the 'Almaz-
Antei' concern, 'IzhMash' and design bureaus 'Rubin', 'Severnoye',
'Avrora', 'Granit', 'Motovillikha'. They will show armoured vehicles,
rocket, artillery and small arms, means of anti-aircraft defence and naval
systems.
Alexander Fomin, the first deputy director of the Federal Service for
Military-Technological cooperation, is heading the Russian delegation at
DefExpo-2010.
The international arms exhibition DefExpo has been held in New Delhi
once in two years for more than a decade. Russia took part in all the
shows.
Organizers of the Russian exposition say that Defexpo is the largest
exhibition of military hardware in South Asia. It's a good chance for
Russia to demonstrate its military achievements.

.Russia, Nicaragua expand investment cooperation.

MANAGUA, February 15 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov said after meeting Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega late on
Sunday that Russia and Nicaragua were expanding investment cooperation.
The Russian foreign minister said that a Russian-Nicaraguan commission
for scientific-technological and economic cooperation had been
re-established, and a Russian trade mission had resumed its work in
Nicaragua. It will perform regional functions.
"Investment cooperation is also being established. It will expand
after the two sides sign an agreement on mutual protection of
investments," the Russian foreign minister went on to say.
"We are developing military-technological cooperation. We are
interested in strengthening interaction that will help us fighting drug
trafficking, terrorism and organized crime," Lavrov emphasized. He
promised that Russia would continue providing Nicaragua with medical
supplies and mine clearing equipment.
"We agreed to develop equal and mutually beneficial cooperation given
the warm and friendly feelings that our peoples have to each other,"
Lavrov said.

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