Malaysia buys Russian planes

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin left Malaysia Tuesday with a $90 million contract for new Russian warplanes.

Putin told the Malaysia-Russia Business Council in Kuala Lumpur, "With the delivery of the Sukhoi, hopefully it will promote Russian aviation technology to Southeast Asia."

The deal will give 18 Sukhoi Su-30MK fighter jets to the Royal Malasian Air Force.

Channelnewsasia.com said the combat aircraft forms part of a major arms procurement spree by Malaysia, which includes French submarines, British and Russian missile systems and Polish attack tanks.