After Winning $171 Million Pentagon Helicopter Contract, Rosoboronexport faces US Congress Ban

Just a day after Rosoboronexport was awarded a $171 million contract to procure 10 additional Mi-17 helicopters to be used by the Afghan Military, the U.S. Congress passed a bill on Thursday to "break contract" between the Pentagon and the Russian arms exporter claiming that it was "arming the oppressive Syrian regime”. The bill, introduced by Democrat Congressman Jim Moran, was passed by a 407-5 vote and was attached to the 2013 U.S. military budget. It is not yet clear if the bill will put a stop to the performance of the Pentagon's contract with Rosoboronexport. The Congressman said, “It is troubling that we are purchasing helicopters from a Russian firm that is directly complicit in the deaths of thousands of innocent Syrian men, women and children. This has got to stop. It is beyond unacceptable for the United States Government to work with a firm that is arming the oppressive Syrian regime,” he said. Russia reportedly sold $1 billion in arms to Syria last year and the Assad government bought 36 combat jets from the Rosoboronexport. Just a day ago, Russia and China vetoed UN Security Council resolution on Syria, the third time they have blocked a measure against Damascus, sparking outrage by Western nations that had demanded sanctions against Assad. The Pentagon purchased Mi-17s from Russia because the Afghan military was familiar with the aircraft and it would be easier to service Russian rather than American equipment once US forces leave Afghanistan in 2014. Not to mention the fact that the Mi-17s are cheaper by more than half compared to any Western built helicopter.