Nine members of Russia's internal military force, the Federal Security Service (FSS), are taking part in a three-week training course with the Army's Ordnance Corps.
The Russians are here at the invitation of the Government to learn from the Army's experience in dealing with "improvised" terrorist bombs. Irish and British ordnance officers have more experience in dealing with sophisticated terrorist bombs than any other force in the world.
Both forces train ordnance officers from other parts of the world.
The Ordnance Corps in Clancy Barracks, Dublin has already trained officers from Israel, Canada and Denmark.
The contact with the FSS followed the Taoiseach's visit to Russia in September 1999. Mr Ahern met the Russian President during a ceremony where agreements of co-operation to combat drug trafficking and fight crime were signed.
As part of the agreement Mr Ahern offered any assistance the Russians might want from our Defence Forces and Garda. Russia has experienced increasingly sophisticated acts of terrorism, particularly from Chechen groups known to have links with Muslim terrorist groups.
Col Joe O'Sullivan, director of the Ordnance Corps, said: "Ourselves and the British would have the most experience in the world in dealing with sophisticated improvised explosives. We have had 30 years of experience with a variety and continuity that no other armies have had, anywhere in the world."
The course being attended by the Russians is the same given to Irish officers, Col O'Sullivan said. The Russian officers will take the bomb disposal course consisting of two weeks in the Military College in the Curragh and a further week's fieldwork in Co Galway.