Russian Arms Exports Up 12 Percent

Vladimir Putin visits a Russian arms expo. (file photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russian arms sales last year reached $15.2 billion, an increase of 12 percent compared to the previous year.

Putin said Russian weapons manufacturers exported arms and military equipment to 66 countries last year and currently have contracts worth some $46 billion with 75 countries.

Putin said those figures make Russian one of the world’s leading arms exporters.

“The only country ahead of us is the United States. We have more than one-fourth of the world's market,” Putin said.

Putin’s comments come one day after the UN passed a landmark treaty regulating the international arms trade.

Based on reporting by ITAR-TASS and Interfax