Russia and Cambodia are strengthening their military cooperation

          The Cambodian and Russian armies signed on June 24 this year a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries. This was reported by the Khmer Times news portal.

          The signatories of the agreement are the Royal Cambodian Army and the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, making it the first bilateral military agreement in history

           The memorandum was signed following the arrival in Russia of the commander of the Royal Army of the Asian country, Mao Sophan. He came to Moscow on a three-day official visit, during which he was received by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, General Oleg Salyukov.

          ,,Both sides expressed their pride in the relations of friendship, trust and mutual respect inherited from the previous generation of leaders. The commanders of the Cambodian and Russian armed forces signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen and expand bilateral ties to make them closer and stronger, based on equality and mutual benefits’’, the Cambodian military said in a statement.

           The Secretary General of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, Yan Peu, said military relations between Cambodia and Russia ,,remain strong’’ despite the situation in Ukraine.

          This memorandum means exchange of experience, mutual invitation to military exercises, educational programs and training of Cambodian students at Russian military universities. In an even more pessimistic scenario, the document could in the future also lead to the opening of Russian military bases in Cambodia, an action that seems to have already obtained approval at the state level.