Russian Foreign Minister defends Russia's arms supplies to Syria

Russia’s arms supplies to Syria will not affect the balance of power in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday, RIA-Novosti reports.

“We’ve explained the facts: no matter what we supply to other countries in the region, this can in no way affect the balance of power in the region,” Lavrov said at the 38th Munich Security Conference.

He said that Russia’s arms sales to Syria had not changed the balance of power before the Arab Spring and did not affect the current situation. Lavrov claimed that the Russian arms supplies are not used in the conflict.

Syria, the largest importer of Russian weapons in the Middle East, signed contracts for the supply of 24 MiG-29M/M2 fighter jets and eight Buk-M2E air-defense systems. A contract for the supply of Bastion anti-ship missile systems armed with SS-N-26 Yakhont supersonic cruise missiles is currently under implementation.