Russia Increases Arms Sales By $15 Billion, Bags New Clients In Africa

Russia has sold $15.2 billion in weaponry in 2012, expanding its client base to include more African nations.

      Alexander Fomin, a Russian Defense Ministry Official was quoted as saying, “With the export volume of military products reaching $15.16 billion, the country’s plans were exceeded by 111.8 percent” and added, that although the figure was preliminary, it would be confirmed by early February.

      Russia trails closely behind the U.S. in world's arms exports, having expanded its sales by almost 46 percent, in the last two years. Its contracts reached $13.2 billion in 2011 and $10.4 billion in 2010, figures that were heavily reliant on Indian and Chinese military ties.

      The world’s top producer, U.S. has showed export figures of around $30 billion annually, in recent years. Russia in the meanwhile, faced strong Western criticism with its $1 billion weapons sales to Syria in 2011. Moscow has refuted such allegations, saying that the Syrian arms delivery was a part of Soviet era commitments and not any help extended to the Syrian Government in its 21 month old uprising.

      Rosoboron, Russian state arms exporter , accounts for 80 percent of all Russian arms sales annually, with nearly 20 independent firms comprising the rest.

      Fomin confirmed that Russia’s new list of 2012 clients includes Ghana, Oman, as well as Tanzania.