Russia has signed a deal to sell Syria nearly 40 fighter jet trainers for over half a billion dollars, a Russian newspaper reported on Monday, despite growing international criticism over its military trade with the violence-ridden country. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has used troops and tanks to try to crush a 10-month-old popular revolt and thousands of people have been killed.
The daily Kommersant cited a source close to Russia's state arms export monopoly, Rosoboronexport, as saying that the sides had signed a contract after holding talks in December, and that Damascus was to pay $550 million for 36 Yak-130 aircraft. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport refused to comment. A Russian defence industry source indicated the planes had not been built, saying assembly could start after Syria makes a down payment, according to Kommersant.
"The creation of 36 new fighters for a foreign consumer is fully within the power of (manufacturing facilities)," the source was quoted as saying. "As soon as Syria sends Russia the down payment, the factory can get started on assembly." The advanced training jets could be used for air attacks on ground targets and to train pilots on the country's more advanced fleet of Mi-29 jet fighters, which it ordered from Russia in 2007.