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| Russian Arms Exports to Yemen to Exceed $100M in 2004 � Official MosNews Russia�s weapon exports to Yemen are expected to exceed $100 million this year, the Itar-Tass news agency quoted the general director of Rosoboronexport arms exports company, Sergei Chemezov, as saying. Russia�s weapon exports to Yemen are expected to grow in the near future, the official said on Monday. Yemen currently imports Russian helicopters, infantry fighting vehicles, ammunition and small arms, Chemezov said. Yemen is interested in purchasing new military aircraft and vehicles, as well as air defense systems, he said. In 2004, Russia�s total arms exports are expected to be �no lower than in 2003�, Mikhail Borovik, a department head with Rosoboronexport, told reporters in June. In 2003, weapons and military equipment exports increased 21.4 percent on the year in monetary terms to $5.1 billion, which was a record for Russia. The delivery of Russian military equipment to Yemen began in 2000 when Russia supplied the country with 31 modern T-80 tanks. In 2001 Moscow and Sanaa signed a contract for the delivery of MiG-29 fighter planes. The first batch was delivered to Yemen in 2002. Sources in the Russian military industrial complex have said that in the near future Yemeni armed forces could receive the Favorit anti-aircraft missiles, Kamov helicopter gunships and modern fighter planes. Over recent years the volume of Russia�s military equipment sales to Yemen has reached $8 billion. |
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