Russia’s Arms Sales to Venezuela Don’t Impress

heli050609.jpgIt appears that after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has dedicated such a large portion of budget, making his country the largest buyer of Russian arms in the world, that the products he’s acquiring from Moscow are of pretty shoddy quality.  According to this article from El Universal, four Russian aircraft have crashed in less than one year.  As an old friend of mine in Moscow once told me, Russian helicopters were invented for the opposition, at least judging by the fates of dozens killed in such accidents.

Four accidents involving helicopters made in Russia and property of the Venezuelan state have been recorded over the past 11 months. However, only one has claimed a death toll -the fatality recorded last Sunday in Andean Táchira state, resulting in 16 militaries and one civilian dead.