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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Kate Lamb and Josh Butler

Indonesia dismisses report Russia seeking to base aircraft in country as ‘simply not true’, Australia says

Richard Marles
Richard Marles has said his Indonesian counterpart told him reports of the prospect of Russian aircraft operating from Indonesia were not true. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Indonesia’s defence minister has said reports Russia is seeking to base military aircraft in the country “are simply not true”, according to the Australian government, after Canberra made urgent calls to Jakarta.

The report from defence and security news website Janes said Moscow had filed an official request with Jakarta for permission for Russian aerospace forces (VKS) aircraft, including several long-range aircraft, to be based at a facility in Biak.

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