Russia signs deals to sell Syria air defense systems

15/05/2010| IslamWeb

Russia has signed deals to sell Syria warplanes, anti-tank weapons and air defense systems, a senior Russian arms trader said on Friday.

Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said Russia would supply Syria with MiG-29 fighters, truck-mounted Pantsir short-range surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery systems.

He said Russia would also supply Damascus with anti-tank weapons but did not specify their type.

Syria's regional foe Israel reacted angrily to the deal but called into question the solvency of Damascus.

Earlier this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Syria -- the first visit to Damascus by a Moscow ruler since the 1917 Bolshevik revolution -- and oversaw talks on Russia's possible assistance in building a nuclear power plant in Syria.

PHOTO CAPTION

Four Russian MiG-29 fighter jets perform at the international air show at Zhukovsky airfield, outside Moscow.

Reuters