Iraq reportedly has contracts with Russia to buy weapons worth $4.2bn

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iraq has signed contracts to buy weapons from Russia worth more than $4.2 billion recently, Reuters reported citing a Russian government document issued on Tuesday, Oct 9 at a meeting between Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

According to Reuters, the contracts were signed during visits to Russia by Iraq's acting defense chief in April, July and August, the document showed. It gave no further details.

The Russian daily newspaper Vedomosti reported late last month that contracts worth $4.3 million were being agreed ahead of Maliki's visit. It said they included deals for 30 Mi-28NE combat helicopters and 42 Pantsir-S1 mobile rocket launchers.

Russia delivered about $12 billion in weapons and signed about $3.7 billion in new arms contracts last year, according to Russian defense and security think-tank CAST.