MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has lifted an embargo on sales of weapons and military hardware to Pakistan and is planning to supply Islamabad with attack helicopters, the head of Russia's state defense corporation Rostec said Monday.
"Such a decision was made. We are negotiating the sales of Mi-35 helicopters to the country," Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov said.
A source with the Pakistani Foreign Ministry told RIA Novosti there had never been an embargo on Russian sales to Pakistan in the first place.
It was rather that cooperation between Moscow and Islamabad was limited due to Russia's intensive trade with India, Pakistan's long-term rival in the region.
Russia has been supplying its Mi-8 helicopters to Iran, among others. In 2012, the two countries struck a deal worth $4.3 billion for the export modification of Russia's nigh-time strike chopper Mig Mi-28N, dubbed "Night Hunter" and for Mi-35 attack helicopters, a total of 40 aircraft.
