Duterte witnesses turnover of military equipment from Russia

October 25, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte witnessed on Wednesday a ceremonial turnover of military equipment donated by the Russian Federation to the Philippines.

Among the equipment that Moscow gave to Manila include 20 units of Ural-4320 multi-purpose vehicles; 5,000 units of AK-74M Kalashnikov assault rifles, one million units 1943-type cartridges with steel core bullets; and 5,000 units of steel helmets.

Philippine Defense Undersecretary Raymundo DV. Elefante and Russia’s Major General Aleksandr Kshimovskiy, the director for Main Department for the International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense signed the certificate of donation, which Duterte witnessed.

Prior to the ceremony, Duterte toured the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Pantaleev docked at Pier 15, Port of Manila.

He went to the shipboard main alley, air defense platform, main artillery unit, and the wardroom.

Duterte visited Russia in May where he met President Vladimir Putin.

But he had to cut short his trip due to the siege in Marawi City, which started on May 23, by the Islamic State-inspired Maute terrorists.

He declared martial law in Mindanao while he was still in Moscow.

Last January, Duterte also visited the Russian guided missile cruiser Varyag in April and the Russian large anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs. Celerina Monte/DMS