British businesses sponsored an arms fair where sanctioned Russian weapons makers showed off munitions used to attack Ukraine, openDemocracy can reveal.
UK defence procurement minister Jeremy Quin was among the guests at last week’s World Defense Show in Riyadh, which included at least four Russian firms under sanctions by the UK government and others whose executives have been sanctioned personally.
Russia’s biggest arms exporter Rosoboronexport, part of the sanctioned state conglomerate Rostec, promoted tanks and drones that independent arms researchers at the Omega Research Foundation have identified as weapons used by Russia in the war. The Russian Ministry of Defence has also shared videos on social media of helicopters exhibited by the company firing at Ukrainian forces.
