Moscow, Oct 20, SPA -- Russia will have up to 20 military planesand helicopters based in the Central Asian nation ofTajikistan beginning next year, the Interfax-Military NewsAgency reported Wednesday. The aircraft will be based at the Aini airfield, some 20kilometers (12 miles) outside Dushanbe, Interfax said. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an agreementSaturday to establish a permanent base for Russian troopsthat have been stationed in Tajikistan since the end of theSoviet-Afghan war in 1989. The Tajik facility is only thesecond that Russia has established abroad since the Sovietcollapse, following last year's opening of a base inKyrgyzstan near the site of a U.S.-led base. Russia also has aircraft based in Armenia.--SPA1437 Local Time 1137 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/212216