Arms exports hit a record high of more than $8.6 billion last year, with China purchasing 10 percent of the total, Rosoboronexport said Wednesday.
The amount was slightly higher than the $8.5 billion of exports in 2009, though it fell short of expected revenues of $10 billion, after Russia failed to close several longstanding weapons deals.
The state-owned company, which has customers ranging from China to
Venezuela, also said its order book was worth almost $40 billion in January 2011.
China accounted for up to 10 percent of Russian arms sales abroad for each of the past three years, said Anatoly Isaikin, the company's director.
Russia is the world's second largest arms exporter. Isaikin said he did not expect the ongoing unrest in the Middle East to have a significant effect on its order book this year.
"We are worried about what is happening there, but the situation in these countries will not significantly affect our order portfolio," Isaikin said.
A leading arms official said last week that Moscow would lose $4 billion in arms deals because of violence in Libya.
Rosoboronexport accounts for between 80 to 90 percent of Russian arms exports, which have risen in recent years as arms buyers seek alternatives to United States weaponry. Many of those clients are opposed to U.S. foreign policy, such as Venezuela, whose arms deals with Russia have angered Washington. Russia has inherited numerous arms relationships from Soviet times.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
