Report: Russia signs deal to sell 36 combat jets to Syria

[maddezmom]

By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, January 23, 5:11 AM

MOSCOW — Russia has signed a contract to sell combat jets to Syria, a newspaper reported Monday, in apparent support for President Bashar Assad and open defiance of international condemnation of his regime’s bloody crackdown.

The respected business daily Kommersant, citing an unidentified source close to Russia’s Rosoboronexport state arms trader, said the $550-million deal envisions the delivery of 36 Yak-130 aircraft. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport refused to comment on the report.

If confirmed, the deal would cement Russian opposition to international efforts to put pressure on Assad’s regime over its attempts to snuff out the country’s uprising. The U.N. says more than 5,400 people have died over 10 months. The report of the sale comes the same day that Human Rights Watch called Russia’s backing of the Syrian regime “immoral.”

¬snip¬

Lavrov also accused the West of turning a blind eye to attacks by opposition militants and supplies of weapons to the Syrian opposition from abroad and warned that Russia will block any attempt by the West to secure United Nations support for the use of force against Syria.

more:http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/report-russia-signs-deal-to-sell-36-combat-jets-to-syria/2012/01/23/gIQAPbyOKQ_story.html

[sharp_stick]

1. And the reasons become clear

why Vlad doesn't want Assad to go away.

[Turbineguy]

2. Well

that should make it easier for Assad to kill more Syrians. The Russian government is on the wrong side of history on this one.

[pampango]

3. "The Yak-130 is a twin-engined combat trainer jet that can also be used to attack ground targets."

“With this contract, Russia is expressing confidence that President Assad would manage to retain control of the situation, because such deals aren’t signed with a government whose hold on power raises doubts,” Korotchenko was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying. “It’s another gesture by Moscow underlining its confidence that Damascus will remain its strategic partner and ally in the Middle East.”

Human Rights Watch warned Russia that by supporting Assad it is repeating the mistakes of some Western governments during the Arab Spring, saying they were too slow to recognize the popular desire for democratic change in places like Egypt and Bahrain.

Sounds like perfect plane for attacking targets on the ground. It might not survive for long in any confrontation with Israel, but it will do just fine attacking Syrian civilians.

[riverwalker]

4. planes not even built yet

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-syria-russia-jetstre80m1ap-20120123,0,7986240.story

"A spokesman for Rosoboronexport refused to comment. A Russian defense industry source indicated the planes had not been built, saying assembly could start after Syria makes a down payment, according to Kommersant.

"The creation of 36 new fighters for a foreign consumer is fully within the power of (manufacturing facilities)," the source was quoted as saying. "As soon as Syria sends Russia the down payment, the factory can get started on assembly."

[Posteritatis]

5. Subtle. (nt)