Russia to deliver combat jets to Syria

In apparent support for President Bashar Assad, Russia has signed a contract to sell 36 Yak-130 aircraft combat jets to Syria in a deal worth more then $550-million, the business daily Kommersant newspepr reported Monday.

The Yak-130 is a twin-engined combat trainer jet that can also be used to attack ground targets. The Russian air force has recently placed an order for 55 such jets.

Russia has been a strong ally of Syria since Soviet times when the country was led by the president’s father Hafez Assad. It has supplied Syria with aircraft, missiles, tanks and other modern weapons.

Igor Korotchenko, head of the Center of Analysis of the Global Arms trade, an independent think-tank, said the jet deal apparently reflected Moscow’s belief that Assad would stay at the helm.

“With this contract, Russia is expressing confidence that President Assad would manage to retain control of the situation, because such deals aren’t signed with a government whose hold on power raises doubts,” Korotchenko was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying. “It’s another gesture by Moscow underlining its confidence that Damascus will remain its strategic partner and ally in the Middle East.”