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MOSCOW — The world’s number two arms exporter, Russia, said Jan. 21 it had sold a record $15.2 billion (11.4 billion euros) in weaponry last year while expanding its list of clients to more African nations.
“The export volume of military products reached $15.16 billion,” news agencies quoted Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Chief Alexander Fomin as saying. “Our plans have been fulfilled by 111.8 percent.”
Fomin said the figure was preliminary and would be updated by early February.
Russia trails closely behind the United States in world arms exports and has expanded its sales by 46 percent in the past two years. Its contracts reached $13.2 billion in 2011 and $10.4 billion in 2010 —figures reliant heavily on military ties with India and China.
Fomin said Russia’s new list of 2012 clients included Ghana and Oman, as well as Tanzania.
