Russia’s ambassador to Sri Lanka urged Colombo to look to his country for the purchase of military equipment, at a press conference last week.
The Island quoted Ambassador Alexander Karchava as telling journalists that “Sri Lanka is searching for a number of products in the air, sea and land”.
“We can accommodate everything,” the ambassador said. “Russia has the originals and they are durable, unlike the duplicates."
Mr Karchava insisted that military co-operation between the two governments was continuing, pointing to the purchase of military helicopters by Sri Lanka in recent years.
Russia was not trying to “squeeze anyone out of Sri Lanka” he insisted, adding that “we are not going to push your government to increase our presence here”.
See his comments to The Island here.
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