A Russian military advance party flew to Sierra Leone to perform reconnaissance for the peacekeeping contingent that Russia is to deploy in the strife-wracked African country, Interfax reported.

The report cited Col. Gen. Valentin Bogdanchikov of the Defense Ministry's International Military Cooperation Division as saying the advance group consisted of 12 officers.

Russia plans to fully deploy a helicopter unit with 115 soldiers in Sierra Leone by mid-August as part of the United Nations' peacekeeping efforts there.

The unit is to include four Mi-24 helicopter gun ships that are to engage in the escort of convoys and conduct patrol, reconnaissance and search-and-rescue flights.