Russia sees Cotonou's interest in cooperation with Moscow on modernizing the Beninese armed forces, Russian Ambassador to Benin and Togo Igor Evdokimov said in an interview with Sputnik.
"For our part, we are ready to provide the Beninese with every possible assistance in modernizing their armed forces. We see corresponding interest from Cotonou," Evdokimov said.
He added that an example of such cooperation was the business visits of the Smolny and Neustrashimy ships of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy to the port of Cotonou this fall.
"These are events of historic proportions, given the difficult geopolitical situation and the fact that the previous similar visit was made back in Soviet times — in 1988," he emphasized.