Russian Arms Exports

摘要

Over the last several years, Russia has maintained second place, after the United States, in the global arms exports league table, exporting arms worth $15 billion (€13.4 billion) in both 2016 and 2017. However, this number rose to $19 billion in 2018, according to a statement made by Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Rostec, in November 2018. This steep increase is tied to Russia's most important contract, to deliver the S-400 air defence system to India, for which a $5.43 billion contract was signed in October 2018, Russia agreeing to payment in roubles rather than dollars - an agreement inked despite the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) that was signed into law by President Trump on 2 August 2017 and enforced on 2 January 2018. According to CAATSA, the US can impose penalties on Russian defence customers such as China and India. Although India has so far escaped sanctions, the US did not spare China from CAATSA and in September 2018 sanctioned that nation for purchasing S-400 air defence systems and Su-35 fighters.