The Central African Republic (CAR) turned to Russia for help to ensure security during the recent constitutional referendum, Russian Ambassador to the CAR Alexander Bikantov told Sputnik, adding that the number of military advisers was not mentioned.
"During the period of the constitutional referendum, there was a request for security assistance [from the CAR], as the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) refused. But the number of instructors was not discussed. This was at the discretion of Russia," the ambassador said.
The referendum itself went off without a hitch, Bikantov added.
The diplomat said that the Russian embassy in the CAR has "no information" that the number of Russian military instructors has increased from 1,890. In July, Bikantov told Sputnik that the Central African nation was interested in increasing the presence of Russian instructors, adding that their number remained at 1,890 following a recent rotation.
Earlier in August, the Constitutional Court of the CAR approved the results of the referendum, in which more than 95% of voters backed the country's new draft constitution. Voter turnout was 57.23%.
In May, President of The Central African Republic (CAR) Faustin-Archange Touadera announced holding a referendum on the new constitution. Mass demonstrations in support of the constitutional amendments took place across the country following the announcement. The new constitution extends the presidential term to seven years and scraps term limits.