Troubled Syria To Get 36 Yak-130 Jets From Russia

According to local news agencies in Moscow, Russia and Syria have signed a $550-million contract on the delivery of 36 Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten combat trainer. By terms of the deal, Russia will supply the jets to Syria once latter makes a payment. The Kommersant Daily reported that the aircraft construction company Irkut is able to produce the jets for Syria in a relatively short time. The deal was reportedly signed during the last week of December 2011. Given the worsening state of Syria’s political crisis and the growing international pressure on President Bashar al-Assad over his treatment of protesters, analysts call the contract “risky”. The contract, which is a huge success for Russia, was signed by both governments before the situation in Syria grew worse. However, the international community led by the United States, has already expressed concern over Al-Assad’s regime, meaning the contract could be disrupted leaving Russia to face embarrassment and heavy financial losses. Syria has enjoyed protection from Russia over the last few years namely when the latter opposed international sanctions, including an arms embargo after clashes between and government troops killed 5,400, according to the U.N. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week Russia was not going to justify its actions before the West because it was not violating “any international agreements or any [UN] Security Council resolutions. We are only trading items with Syria that are not banned by international law,” he said.”