The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Colombia expressed its willingness to restart bilateral cooperation related to the Mi-17 helicopters of the National Army, questioning the actions of Gustavo Petro’s administration to recover these aircraft through foreign contractors.
The statement from the Russian representation arises in a context of potential approaches with the team of President Abelardo de la Espriella, although no schedule was specified for a possible meeting between representatives of the Russian and Colombian governments. In the document, the embassy emphasized that Moscow is ready to ensure the repairs and maintenance required for the Russian-made helicopters. “The Russian side has always shown willingness to guarantee the necessary repairs and maintenance to the Colombian authorities for these aircraft,” said the diplomatic representation.
The communiqué focused on the hiring of foreign companies for the intervention in helicopters, whose operability faces technical and financial challenges. The Russian embassy highlighted that the procedures adopted during the current administration have not resolved the degradation of the National Army’s air capability.
Russia also questioned the Petro government’s decisions to seek alternatives outside the stipulated authorized channels, indicating that this poses risks to public resources and has led to judicial actions. As part of its arguments, it mentioned “failed attempts by the previous government to recover the operability of the grounded helicopters with the help of unauthorized contractors from third countries.”
This remark refers to the difficulties faced by the Ministry of Defense in obtaining maintenance directly from Russian companies, in a context affected by international sanctions imposed on Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a conflict in which Petro has taken a clear stance.
The Russian delegation emphasized that these efforts did not provide effective solutions, resulting in the risk of losing vast financial resources and legal processes for those involved. They also warned that investments to acquire new aircraft and develop technical infrastructure remain compromised.
Russia recalled that funding had been allocated for the construction of a repair and maintenance center for the Mi-17s at the Tolemaida base in the Tolima department, a project that, according to the embassy, was not completed. “The total value of the funds spent on the offset project amounts to nearly 90 million U.S. dollars,” the statement concluded.
Source: www.infobae.com
