Russia Hopes to Quadruple Arms Sales by 2020

By The Moscow Times

Dec. 12, 2013

Russia could quadruple its annual arms sales to $50 billion by 2020 in a race for the top spot on the global arms exporters list, a senior government official said Thursday.

"Not counting inflation, I think we could reach $50 billion [in arms exports] annually by 2020," Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said. "It is four times the current amount."

The U.S. sold $69.1 billion worth of weaponry to foreign customers last year, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Russia became the world's second-largest arms exporter in 2011, generating $13.2 billion in revenues.

Last year, Russia exported $15.2 billion worth of weaponry while adding Afghanistan, Ghana, Oman and Tanzania to a list of about 80 foreign customers.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

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 you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue