Russia Signs Weapon Purchase Deals Worth US$2.8 Billion At Army Expo

Russia signed over 20 contracts of weapon purchases worth over 170 billion rubles (2.87 billion U.S. dollars) at an ongoing military-technical forum ARMY 2017, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

"Twenty-three state contracts and three additional agreements were signed with 17 defense industry enterprises today for a total amount of more than 170 billion rubles," Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Borisov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying after the signing ceremony.

The contracts mainly concern the purchase of precision-guidance weapons, most of which have already been tested in Syria, the deputy minister said.

The minister also announced purchase of two brigade sets of the Iskander-M tactical missile complexes worth 20 billion roubles (US$338 million). In addition, purchase of small-sized missile ships armed with Kalibr and Onyx was also announced.

More than 600 units of weapons, military and special equipment will be delivered to the Russian Armed Forces, and over 200 units will be upgraded as a result of these contracts, he said.