Russian arms firm: US helicopter contract remains

Russia's state arms export corporation Rosoboronexport insisted on Monday it had not received any formal notification from the US regarding collation of a contract for delivery of Russian military helicopters to Afghanistan, Russia's News Agency (RIA Novosti) reported. That follows a vote in the Senate last Thursday to ban Rosoboronexport from any further US government contracts, in response to Russia continuing to supply weapons to the Assad regime in Syria. The ban could come into force as soon as January 1, 2013, according to US media. The Pentagon announced in June plans to buy ten more Mi-17 helicopters for the Afghan military from Rosoboronexport, in addition to an earlier $367.5 million contract signed in May 2011 for delivery of 21 Mi-17V5s. The US Defense Department acts as an intermediary in purchasing some military equipment for Afghanistan's military where it is paid for by US government aid, in order to prevent corruption.