Russian fighetr jets
© Evgeny Yepanchintsev / SputnikRussian fighetr jets
The Russian government has approved a draft agreement with Egypt which would allow the two countries to use each other's airspace and airbases. The agreement is yet to be negotiated with Cairo.

The draft, which was prepared by the defense ministry and agreed to by the foreign ministry, has been approved by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a PM decree published Thursday by a Russian government legal paperwork portal shows. The two ministries were instructed by the chair of the government to negotiate and sign the agreement with their Egyptian counterparts.

The agreement would cover not only fighter jets and bombers, but also airborne radar pickets and military transport planes carrying hazardous cargo, the document says. The mutual use document will last for five years, with prolongation possible.

The news comes as Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu visits Cairo. The Egyptian government has decided to expand defense ties with Russia. In recent months, the two nations have signed several arms contracts for Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets, Ka-52 helicopters, and other weapons.