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Leaked documents expose Saudi Arabia’s ongoing $2 billion arms deal with Russia
Recent leaks have uncovered that Saudi Arabia has continued arms purchases from Russian defense firms despite international sanctions imposed on these companies. According to documents obtained by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and analyzed by the Kyiv Independent, Saudi Arabia agreed to a 2.2-billion-euro ($2.3 billion) contract with Russian defense firms for the purchase of the Pantsir-S1M air defense system. The contract, signed in April 2021, appears to remain active through 2026, highlighting ongoing cooperation between Riyadh and Moscow despite global pressure to isolate Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The leaked documents suggest that even after Western sanctions were imposed on Russian defense entities following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, deliveries continued. Trade data from 2023 shows that Russian defense companies supplied key equipment to Saudi Arabia, including vehicles used to transport missile systems and communication gear. The sales involve prominent Russian firms, including Rosoboronexport, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec, which facilitates arms sales worldwide.
Roselectronics, another subsidiary of Rostec, played a significant role in the transaction, particularly in providing radio communications systems for the air defense platforms. Additionally, United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation, a sanctioned Rostec subsidiary, oversaw the supply of critical components for the system. Leaked invoices and bank statements reveal that Saudi Arabia made an initial payment of 326 million euros ($335 million) in August 2021. However, since the leaked documents only extend to May 2022, the status of further payments remains unclear.
While Saudi Arabia has not imposed sanctions on Russian defense firms, experts warn that continued dealings with sanctioned entities could expose Saudi individuals and businesses to secondary US sanctions. The US government has the power to impose penalties on foreign entities found engaging in transactions........
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