Russian military products still in demand with foreign partners despite U.S. sanctions - FSMTC deputy head to Interfax
PARIS. Nov 21 (Interfax) - The United States has been unable to force Russia out of the arms and military hardware market despite sanctions, Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Anatoly Punchuk told Interfax in an interview at the MILIPOL 2017 exhibition.
"This policy [the sanctions] is aimed at forcing Russia out of its traditional arms and hardware markets. Yet the reality has proven different. Russian military products have proven their value and are sought by foreign partners, who intend to continue using them," Punchuk said.
"The sanctions will not be good for relations between Russia and the United States. Time will set things right. We can already see that losses incurred by our Western partners from ceasing cooperation with Russian companies supersede the temporary hardships experienced by domestic manufacturers," he said.
The Russian defense sector has adjusted to the sanctions, Punchuk said. "The quality and reliability of Russian products are the parameters valued by the client, who understands that they are vital to the security and defense capacity of its state. They are still ready to buy Russian weapons," Punchuk said.