Iraq using banned military hardware supplied by Russian companies
The Jerusalem Post

24 March 2003

The State Department protested that Russian companies sold sensitive military equipment to Iraq in the run-up to US-led war against Saddam Hussein's regime.

One Russian firm is helping the Iraqi military deploy electronic jamming equipment against US planes and bombs, while two other Russian firms have sold antitank missiles and thousands of night-vision goggles in violation of United Nations sanctions, The Washington Post reported in Sunday editions.

The State Department said Sunday it had raised the issue with senior levels of the Russian government a number of times, particularly over the past two weeks because the equipment could pose a direct threat to coalition forces. Moscow's response has been unsatisfactory, the State Department said.

The Post identified two of the firms as KBP Tula and Aviaconversiya, a Moscow-based company, saying that KBP supplied antitank guided missiles and Aviaconversiya provided the jamming devices.

Established a decade ago, Aviaconversiya develops and produces jammers to suppress different kinds radio systems, including the global positioning system guidance gear used in aircraft and bombs.

GPS receivers rely on signals from orbiting satellites.

The US government last year imposed sanctions on KBP for allegedly selling antitank weapons to Syria. KBP's laser-guided Kornet-E anti-tank missiles are designed to destroy armored vehicles and tanks at a distance of up to 6,000 yards.
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