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It was the third port visit this year by Russian warships as part of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s moves to engage closely with Moscow, an arch-rival of Manila’s former colonial master and closest defense ally, the United States.
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The load included 5,000 assault rifles, a million rounds of ammunition and 20 army trucks, Russian and Filipino navy officials said.
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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-4/russia-philippines-sm.webp" alt=" Russian naval vessel Admiral Vinogradov" />
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(A guard passes by the Russian naval vessel Admiral Vinogradov during a port visit in Manila, October 20, 2017.)
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Eduard Mikhailov, deputy commander of Russia’s Pacific Fleet flotilla said:
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“We would do our best to make this port call a significant contribution indicating friendly ties and relations between two nations in the interest of security and stability in this region.” 
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The visit was timed to coincide with the arrival next week of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who is attending a regional defense meeting, and U.S. counterpart Jim Mattis, a Philippine navy spokesman said.
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Russia and the Philippines are expected to sign a security deal on military logistics next week.
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<strong>Sources</strong>: 
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Various online news outlets
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Russia donated to the Philippines shiploads of weapons and trucks