The Russian Defense Ministry is trying to replenish its arsenals, demanding that Pakistan, Egypt, Belarus and Brazil return spare parts for helicopters and weapons, the Wall Street Journal writes, citing sources. The Russian army lost about 100 helicopters at the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, as a result Russia turned to Egypt for help.
In April 2022, a Russian delegation arrived in Cairo and held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the return of 150 engines for Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters previously sold to the country, the newspaper writes, citing three interlocutors familiar with the negotiations. At the same time, Egypt initially planned to supply missiles to Russia, but abandoned this idea under pressure from the United States.
Russia has sought to retrieve parts from defense systems it had exported to countries such as Pakistan, Egypt, Belarus and Brazil, as it tries to replenish the enormous stocks of weapons being expended for the war in Ukraine.
The sources of the publication describe the terms of the deal as follows:
Moscow forgives Cairo the debt to pay for previous arms supplies (some transfers were disrupted due to restrictions in the work of Russian banks with the SWIFT system), continues to supply wheat to Egypt and does not recall its military advisers, and Cairo quickly returns 150 engines in secret from the United States.
In addition, Egypt refused the United States' request to supply weapons to Ukraine. As a result of the negotiations, it is expected that the engines will return to the Russian Federation in December.
Since the start of the war, Russia has also been in talks with Pakistan, Belarus and Brazil, a former Russian intelligence officer and one of the sources familiar with the talks told the WSJ. Moscow made the greatest efforts to reinforce its fleet of aircraft during the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Russian Federation requested four engines from previously sold Mi-35M transport and combat helicopters from Pakistan, six engines from heavy Mi-26 helicopters from Belarus, and 12 engines from decommissioned Mi-35M helicopters from Brazil. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry said it had abandoned the deal.
Since the beginning of the invasion, Russia has generally lost the Helicopter and Defence exports - its volume amounted to $8 billion in 2022 against $14.5 billion in 2021.
"In some cases, the Ministry of Defense requisitioned weapons systems even before they left the factories," the newspaper quoted the source as saying.
This explains the lack of serviceable helicopters and other ammunition for the Grad and Uragan MLRS in Armenia.
Display Picture Courtesy : Vitaly V. Kuzmin - Vitalykuzmin.net
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