Arms trade

Russia Remains Second-Largest Arms Exporter Despite Sales Drop – Think Tank

Russia remains the world’s second-largest arms exporter after the United States despite five years of declining sales abroad, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has said in a new report that was disputed by Russia’s state-owned arm exporter.

Russia’s arms exports dropped 17 percent between 2014 and 2018 when compared to 2009-2013, contributing to a widening gap with U.S. exports, SIPRI said in the report published Monday.

The Swedish think tank said declining arms purchases by India and Venezuela played a major factor in Russia’s reduced exports.

The state-owned Rostec corporation, which includes the Rosoboronexport arms exporter in its vast portfolio, disputed the accuracy of SIPRI's calculations, saying that sales have grown throughout the past decade, RIA Novosti reported Monday.

“There are big questions regarding the methodology of the calculations,” Rostec’s press service said.

Last year, Russia surpassed the United Kingdom to become the world’s second-largest arms producer.