Turkey, whose earlier request to buy US Cobra attack helicopters has so far been turned down on grounds that they are not available, is sending a military-led delegation to Russia today to further talks over the planned acquisition of at least 12 Mil Mi-28 "Havoc" attack helicopters as a stop gap measure in the fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), turkishny.com reports.

Since the possibility of the US supplying Turkey with Cobra helicopters is now low, Turkey has sped up efforts to buy the advanced Russian Mi-28 helicopters that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has been keen on buying.

A Turkish military delegation's planned visit to Moscow, expected to start today, comes in the midst of calls made by Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ in Washington for the US administration to sell urgently required military hardware to Turkey, including attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

During the visit to Russia, a Turkish military-led delegation will learn the price and quick delivery options of the Mi-28 helicopters, the Turkish sources said. Turkey is believed to have five or six operational Cobras in its inventory. Attack helicopters are one of the key players in the fight against the PKK. Turkey entered talks with Russia's Rosoboronexport late last year for the purchase of 12 Mi-28 attack helicopters.