MOSCOWRussia will continue supplying weapons to Syrian President Bashar Assad's government despite the country's escalating civil war, the head of Russia's state arms trader said Wednesday.
Anatoly Isaikin, the director of Rosoboronexport, said that Russia sees no need to stop arms trade with Syria as it isn't prohibited by the United Nations. He dismissed Western criticism of Russian arms sales to Assad's regime, saying that his company has only delivered defensive weapons.
"In the absence of sanctions, we are continuing to fulfill our contract obligations," Isaikin said at a news conference. "But these aren't offensive weapons. We are mostly shipping air defense systems and repair equipment intended for various branches of the military."
Anatoly Isaikin, the head of Russia's state arms trader Rosoboronexport, speaks at a news conference in Moscow, Russia, Feb. 13, 2013. / APMOSCOWRussia will continue supplying weapons to Syrian President Bashar Assad's government despite the country's escalating civil war, the head of Russia's state arms trader said Wednesday.Anatoly Isaikin, the director of Rosoboronexport, said that Russia sees no need to stop arms trade with Syria as it isn't prohibited by the United Nations. He dismissed Western criticism of Russian arms sales to Assad's regime, saying that his company has only delivered defensive weapons."In the absence of sanctions, we are continuing to fulfill our contract obligations," Isaikin said at a news conference. "But these aren't offensive weapons. We are mostly shipping air defense systems and repair equipment intended for various branches of the military."
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