According to the Tass News Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Defense Ministry to inform the UN Secretariat that Russia is ready to send up to 30 Russian servicemen to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and up to 5 members of the military to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the presidential order published on the legal data portal informs.

“The Russian Foreign Ministry will inform the UN Secretariat of Russia’s readiness to send up to 30 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic as liaison officers, military observers and staff officers,” the document states.

The document also entrusts the Russian Foreign Ministry with informing the UN Secretariat of “Russia’s readiness to send up to 5 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus as liaison officers, military observers and staff officers,” the presidential order informs.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory.