Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Syria is reported to have been a leading client of
Russia’s defense sector in 2011.

The Congressional Research Service said Russia achieved its biggest
weapons agreement last year with Syria. CRS cited a Russian deal to sell 36
Yak-130 trainer aircraft for $550 million.

In mid-2012, Moscow said it suspended the Yak deal amid the Sunni revolt in Syria. Over the last year, Russia supplied such platforms as the Bastion coastal defense system and the Iskander surface-to-surface rocket.

In all, Russia sold Syria $1.7 billion in defense products from 2008
through 2011, the U.S. report said. Russia’s largest client in the Middle East during that period was said to have been Algeria, which ordered $2.1 billion from Moscow. Kuwait was the No. 3 client of Russia, with $700 million in purchases.

CRS said Russia completed $4 billion in arms sales with developing
nations in 2011, a sharp drop from the previous year. The report said Russia delivered 110 anti-ship and 50 surface-to-surface missiles to the Near East from 2008 to 2011.

“While not necessarily as expensive as aircraft or naval vessels, other
weapon systems possess deadly capabilities and create important security
threats in the Near East region,” the report, titled “Conventional Arms
Transfers to Developing Nations, 2004-2011,” said. “Such systems include
anti-ship and surface-to-surface missiles.”

  “Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations”, Bastion coastal defense system, Congressional Research Service, Iskander surface-to-surface rocket, Syria was 2nd largest Russian weapons client in 2011, Yak-130 trainer aircraft