Asia Is Largest Russian Military Equipment Buyer In 2016: Rosoboronexport

Asia as a region has become the largest Russian military equipment buyer in the year 2016, Rosoboronexport announced in a press release Wednesday.

Rosoboronexport signed military and technical cooperation contracts worth USD 9 billion last year with 53% of total annual volume claimed by Asian customers, Dmitry Shugaev, Director of Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation was quoted as saying in the release.

"Asia-Pacific region will have a stable big share in our global procurement and cooperation," Shugaev told during his speech at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

In Russian export pattern of military equipment, Africa occupies the second place with 42% and then come North and South America with 3% and Europe with 2%.

The most in-demand armament is the aeronautical equipment which accounts for 40% of demand, air defence facilities together with naval engineering and land military equipment come then in equal shares, the release states.

"Speaking worldwide, aeronautical equipment, precisely airplanes and helicopters, account for 40% among the most in-demand Russian armament. Air defence equipment, naval engineering and land military equipment then come in equal shares," Shugaev adds.

In total, last year Russia sold military products for more than USD 15 billion, the release added.​ Rosoboronexport is hopeful of keeping the scope of Russian armament deliveries at the current level in the coming years.