Asia-Pacific Digest: Aussie Russophobia and Afghanistan’s Soviet heritage

Aug 21 2016

RBTH ASIA Team

Alamy/Legion-Media

News and features about Soviet infrastructure that survived wars in Afghanistan, Australia’s paranoia when it comes to Russia, and Indian plans to modernize its Su-30 fleet were among the Asia-Pacific highlights on rbth.com.

Collage by Andrei ZaitsevWhy Australia should abandon its Russian paranoia

August 18, 2016 RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA, SPECIAL TO RBTH

Canberra has historically played up the Russian threat in a bid to be considered a frontline state against the West’s adversary, but it’s a tired strategy with very few dividends.

Afghan students prepare to take a university entrance examination in Kabul Polytechnic. Reuters5 Soviet infrastructure projects that survived the Afghan wars

August 18, 2016 AJAY KAMALAKARAN, RBTH

Soviet-built projects helped bring about development and social change in Afghanistan in the 1960s and 70s. Many of these infrastructure projects have survived war and are still operational. RBTH looks at five major projects that are of vital importance to Afghanistan.

The upgrade of up to 200 Su-30MKIs may cost $8 billion. Slava Stepanov / GELIO

Russia, India discuss modernization of Su-30 aircraft

August 18, 2016 TASS

An agreement may be reached by the end of the year.

Pakistan’s Punjab province has a small fleet of Mi-17 helicopters. Konstantin Leyfer / TASS

Russian pilot captured by the Afghan Taliban leaves Pakistan

August 16, 2016 TASS

Sergey Sevastyanov left Pakistan for Russia on August 16.

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