Sudan, Uganda buy Russian armoured vehicles

NAIROBI, Feb 26, 2005 (New Vision) — Uganda and Sudan are buying armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from Russia’s Arzamas Engineering Plant, a Russian newspaper has reported.

The plant’s director-general, Valentin Kopalkin, told the ongoing IDEX 2005 arms show in Abu Dhabi, that the plant would soon export 14 BTR-80 APCs to Uganda and 30 to Sudan.

He said the company would export 48 Vodnik cross-country vehicles to Uruguay. Arzamas supplies and upgrades armoured vehicles. Army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza said, “We are the Ministry of Defence and not engaged in relief aid. We are involved in what is required to defend the country.”

“But,” he added, ” I am not exactly saying we are buying those APCs. Kopalkin said Arzamas also supplies Bangladesh with APCs.”

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring Service.