Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed a contract for the delivery of new armored equipment from Russia to the amount of nearly $40mln. In addition, Kazakhstan may sign a contract on the repair of the MiG-29 and MiG-31 military airplanes amounting nearly $100mln. Turkmenistan also may be a client of the Russian military equipment, Russian newspaper 'Vedmosti' reports.
The newspaper reports that in July 'Rosoboronexport' signed a contract for the delivery of nearly 70 new BTR-80 armoured personnel carriers (APC) to Azerbaijan. Not long ago, a contract was signed to deliver the same number of BTR-80 to Kazakhstan. The 'Rosoboronexport' and Military-Industrial Company (which is included in 'Russian machines' controlled by Arzamas machine plan which produces BTRs) refused to comment. The existence of the contracts was also testified by the official of the Russian Defense Ministry. He added that in case of successful realization, additional contracts may be signed for the delivery of BTR-80 APC to these countries and Azerbaijan may become the first client for a new BTR-90 APC which is more expensive than theBTR-80 APC.
The recently announced price for BTR-80 APC to be delivered to Bangladesh made up nearly $300,000. The sale of nearly 150 BTR-80 APC to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan may be assessed at $40mln, said the Editor-in-Chief of 'Export of Arms' magazine, Dimitri Vasiliyev.
In 2003 a $63mln contract was signed with Kazakhstan to deliver 14 Mi-17 helicopters and last year information was confirmed of the contract to deliver 12 more Mi-17 and 'Ansat' helicopters to this country. The amount of the contract was not disclosed.