Russia to sell Syria warplanes, air defence systems

Russia has signed deals with Syria under which it will sell it warplanes, anti-tank weapons and air defence systems, Itar-Tass news agency quoted a senior Russian arms trader as saying on Friday.

Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said Russia would supply Syria with MiG-29 fighters and truck-mounted Pantsir short-range surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery systems.

He did not specify the kind of anti-tank weapons.

Earlier this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Syria -- the first visit to Damascus by a Moscow ruler since the 1917 Bolshevik revolution -- and oversaw talks on Russia's possible assistance in building a nuclear power plant in Syria.

While in Syria, Medvedev met Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of the Palestinian Hamas.

Reuters