SIPRI: Azerbaijan grew by 13 positions among the largest arms importers
Azerbaijan increased its arms imports by 155 percent and rose from 48th to 35th largest importer in the world, the report of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says.
“The volume of arms imports by Eastern Europe increased by 21 per cent between 2003–2007 and 2008–12. However, this increase is entirely due to Azerbaijan, which was the only state in the region to increase its volume of imports,” the document reads.
The document says that in 2012 deliveries continued of Aerostar and Hermes-450 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Israel, Mi-24 combat helicopters from Russia, and Matador and Marauder armoured vehicles from South Africa built under licence in Azerbaijan.