Russia boasts about using the Syrian war to advertise ‘over 200’ new weapons as scores continue to die
“It’s not an accident that today they are coming to us from many directions to purchase our weapons, including countries that are not our allies,” said Russian lawmaker Vladimir Shamanov
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Russia has turned the Syrian war into an advertisement for more than 200 new weapons, attracting buyers from all over the world, a senior Russian lawmaker boasted on Thursday.
“As we helped the brotherly Syrian people, we tested over 200 new types of weapons,” said Vladimir Shamanov, a former commander of Russia’s airborne troops who now serves as head of the Russian Duma’s defence committee.
“It’s not an accident that today they are coming to us from many directions to purchase our weapons, including countries that are not our allies,” he said.
“Today our military-industrial complex made our army look in a way we can be proud of.”
Civilians in Syria’s Ghouta ‘wait to die’; 310 killed in four days
Russia, a close ally of the Syrian government in the protracted multi-front war, has been accused of indiscriminate bombing throughout the conflict causing massive casualties.
The latest criticism focuses on the air strikes against the enclave of Eastern Ghouta, where at least 403 people have been killed and more than 2,116 wounded since Sunday night, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.
The Kremlin has denied involvement in the regime-led assault in the enclave of 400,000 people.
Kremlin admits slain Syrian mercenaries were Russians
Panos Moumtzis, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Syria, said households in eastern Ghouta were without food, water or electricity in winter cold and 80 per cent of the population of the town of Harasta was living underground.
Shamanov’s remarks also come amid reports that Russia has deployed its Su-57 stealth fighter prototype in Syria, where two such planes were reportedly spotted Wednesday.
Photos of the fifth generation jet, allegedly over Syria, were re-posted by various state media Thursday.
A source in the defence ministry confirmed to RBK news agency that the two planes were sent to the Hmeimim base “for a test in real conditions.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the reported deployment of Su-57.
This report includes additional information from Reuters.
