Under an agreement signed by Russia and Georgia on March 31, Russian troops are to leave Georgia's two Soviet-era military bases - Akhalkalaki and Batumi - by 2008. The pullout from Akhalkalaki, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the border with Turkey, a NATO member, is to be completed by December 2006.
"The loading of the first train with heavy military equipment being withdrawn from the 62nd military base in Akhalkalaki is over. Now the train is undergoing customs clearance," Igor Konoshenkov, head of the Russian land troops' information service, said.
The first train with Russian military hardware is to leave a railway station in Tsalka, 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Akhalkalaki, at 10:00 a.m. Moscow time (06:00 a.m. GMT) on May 15 to head for Russia via Azerbaijan, the officer said.
According to Konoshenkov, the first train with military hardware will deliver seven T-72 main battle tanks, eight BRDM armored reconnaissance vehicles, two BTR-60 armored personnel carriers and four communications vehicles to Russia.
