SANAA, Yemen, April 8 (UPI) -- Yemen and Russia concluded an $8 billion arms deal and agreed to keep brokers away from future deals between the two states' defense ministries, reports said.
Yemeni weekly September 26 said the deal was signed by Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Russia's Vladimir Putin during the former's just-ended visit to Moscow.
"The two leaders agreed not to allow brokers to interfere in deals for purchasing Russian military hardware and arms in the future," the magazine said.
An unnamed Russian official confirmed the deal but did not specify the type of arms purchased.
Russian military shipments to Yemen started in 2000 when Moscow provided Sanaa with 31 T-80 tanks. In 2001 and 2002 Yemen received Russian-made MiG-29 fighter planes.
Russian military sources said another deal will be signed shortly under which Russia will supply Yemen with anti-aircraft rockets, military helicopters and fighter planes.
