Russia's largest air freight carrier, the Volga-Dnepr Group, says it is "first in line" to transport US military goods to Afghanistan.

"Several carriers have already lined up for the transit of US cargoes to Afghanistan, and we are the first in line. We believe that our participation [. . .] is absolutely necessary," the official Russian RIA Novosti news agency quoted Valery Gabriel, the company's executive director, as saying on July 15.

An agreement allowing US military goods to reach Afghanistan via Russian territory was signed on July 6. It is scheduled to come into effect in September and is valid for one year.