The Russian Federation is the world’s secondlargest exporter of arms, selling to nearly 100 countries worldwide. In 2009, the country sold approximately $8 billion in military hardware and other weapons. Combat aircraft account for one-half of all sales. In recent years, sales to the Middle East and Latin America have grown rapidly. Arms sales to Syria and Iran have often created problems in Russia-United States relations. Russia has developed a special relationship with China and India for arms development. Established by Russian Presidential Decree No. 1834 on 4 November 2000, the national arms export agency is Rosoboronexport State Corporation; Russia’s arms export monopoly was formerly known as Rosvooruzheniye. The AK-47, manufactured at the Izhevsk Mechanical Works in Udmurtiya, remains one of the most popular assault rifles in the world.
See also Foreign trade.
Historical Dictionary of the Russian Federation. Robert A. Saunders and Vlad Strukov. 2010.