Almotamar.net, Saba - Yemen, Russia sign $billion-worth arms deal
Well-informed Yemeni official sources said Thursday that the visit's outcomes of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to the Russian capital Moscow were significant and would enhance bilateral relations and the areas of cooperation between Yemen and Russia, especially at the economic, trade and investment levels as well as the military level.
"The most important result of President Saleh's successful visit to Moscow is the signing of a Russian-made arms and military equipment deal, including land, sea and air military equipment in order to enhance the defense capability of Yemen in the fight against terrorism and piracy", said the sources.
Pointing out that the cost of the contract amounted to $1 billion, the sources said that the deal included a number of MiG-29 fighter jets and offensive and military transport helicopters, in addition to modern (T-80) and (T-72) tanks, (BT R 80) armored vehicles, cutters, modern telecommunications and other military equipment and supplies needed by Yemen's army and security forces to carry out their tasks and duties in the field of defense and security and combating terrorism and piracy.
For the economic and investment side, the talks held by President Saleh with Russian officials included the possibility of generating 3000 MW of electrical power of BOT power and exploring for oil, gas and metals by Russian companies.
"A number of Russian companies stated willingness to invest in Yemen in these areas and the implementation of a number of projects in the fields of dams, irrigation, gas pipelines, railways, fishing and cement industry", added the sources.
The February 24-26 visit, the first to Moscow by President Saleh since 2004, is the second leg of Saleh's international tour, which was started with a trip to Syria last Monday. He also visits Tajikistan and Indonesia.
The United Arab Emirates acknowledged on Tuesday that two of its pilots were killed when their military aggression plane crashed over Jawf province, a military official said
The official added that the aggressive crashed plane was an apache that was
Artillery of the army and popular shelled a gathering of Saudi-paid mercenaries in al-Moqadra area in Serwah district of Marib province, a military official said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, dozens of Saudi-paid mercenaries were killed and others injured in Wadi al-Theek in the district, the official added.
The army and popular forces carried out on Monday unique military operations in Taiz province.
A military official said that a number of Saudi-paid mercenaries were killed at the hands of the army and popular forces in al-Jazami Hill in al-Kadaha area in al-Ma'afer district.
A Saudi aggression fighter jet targeted a citizen's car driving in Fara area of Kutaf district in Saada province overnight, killing the driver and injuring his friend, a security official said on Monday.
The army artillery and popular committees launched a fierce attack on Saudi-paid mercenaries' sites in Jawf province, a military official said on Monday.
The attack destroyed a military vehicle belonging to the mercenaries and killed all on board in Sabran area in khab and shaaf district.
Scores of Saudi enemy soldiers were killed and injured on Sunday when the army and popular forces repelled a Saudi military attempt to sneak into Shurfah site in the border province of Najran, a military official said.
The operation was accomplished successfully against the Saudi
The army and popular committees have killed a total of 18 Saudi-paid mercenaries in sniper operations over the past hours in the central province of Marib, a military official said on Sunday.
Ten mercenaries were killed in Nehm district and eight others were killed in Serwah district, said the official.
Saudi aggression warplanes have launched more than 49 airstrikes over the past hours on several residential areas across Yemen, a security official said on Sunday.
The airstrikes targeted the areas of Malahiz and Husama in Dhahir district, and areas Thuban, Masahif and Sdad in Bakim district of northern Saada province.
Yemen, Russia sign $billion-worth arms deal 
