Russian Defense Ministry addresses military presence 'at a distance'

Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said that the Defense Ministry has been restoring Russia's military presence "at a distance," reported news agency Interfax on Friday citing Pankov's response to a question on whether Russia intended to reopen its military bases in Cuba and Vietnam.

"This question is very valid. In fact, there is now a very quiet rethinking of the decisions that had once been made. As for our presence at a distance, we are engaging in this [process]," said Pankov.

The deputy head of the Duma Committee on International Affairs Alexei Chepa said that Russia's national interests "would involve the recovery of previously held military bases in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa."

On Friday, the Duma is expected to discuss a treaty that would provide for the deployment of the Russian air force to Syria for an indefinite period of time.

• Russia's military bases in Cuba and Vietnam were closed in 2002.