Across rebel-held Syria the roaring sound of incoming jets sends terrified residents scrambling for makeshift shelters.
For Russia's military, that same sound signifies a degree of success.
While it is still a far second to the United States on the list of global weapons exporters, the war in Syria has served as a marker of Russia's efforts to sell its own weapons abroad, particularly in the Middle East.
"Today our military industrial complex made our army look in a way we can be proud of," Vladimir Shamanov, a former commander of Russia's airborne troops who now serves as head of the Russian Duma's defence committee, told journalists last month. "As we helped the brotherly Syrian people, we tested over 200 new types of weapons.”
Read more: Russian weapons in Syria
"It's not an accident that today they are coming to us from many directions to purchase our weapons, including countries that are not our allies.”
Russia’s military had not been fully involved in an active conflict for decades, until its intervention in Syria in 2015 gave it a chance to show off the new weapons it had developed - from the T90 tank to a pair of Su-57 stealth fighter prototypes that were reported to be in Syria in February.
“It’s pretty indicative of how [the] Russian arms industry has become this main pillar of the Russian economy,” said Yury Barmin, an analyst of Russian policy in the Middle East at the Russian International Affairs Council in Moscow. “Whether it is good or bad, it’s definitely been something that has been happening – at least the interest in Russian weapons has spiked.”
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As he approaches next week's likely reelection, Russian president Vladimir Putin has been keen to boast about Russia’s military prowess, including nuclear missiles.
This weekend, the Russian ministry of defense announced it had successfully tested a hypersonic air-to-ground missile they claim is more advanced than any currently available.
Weapons Russia has deployed or is believed to have deployed to Syria for the first time also include ship-launched cruise missiles, air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, body armour, as well as various configurations of fighter jets.
In the last year, Russia has inked deals to supply arms across the Middle East. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport, the Russian government body that administers weapons exports, said late last year that the Middle East now accounted for 20 per cent of Russia’s business.
Moscow is also actively seeking to start arms sales to the head of the Libya National Army Khalifa Hifter, whose militia controls part of Libya. Other clients include Iraq, Iran and Algeria.
Those deals totaled more than US $5 billion (Dh18.4billion). That figure was dwarfed by US sales and contracts during the same period, which included a deal with Saudi Arabia that totaled more than US $110 billion and could run to US $350 billion over the next decade.
While it is hardly cutting into the US market, there is a political advantage for Russia as well – giving traditional US allies an alternative source for weapons also gives Russia further political leverage in the region as it continues to support traditional allies like Syria.
Russia has also expressed a willingness to step in when the US government is reluctant to provide support, as happened in the case of Egypt in 2013 after the then-US president Barack Obama froze arms sales to the country because of human rights concerns.
The Middle East has been a major market for arms sales in the past decade. Arms imports by Middle Eastern countries increased by 103 per cent between 2008-2012 and 2013-2017, and accounted for 32 per cent of global arms imports in 2013-2017, according to new data on arms transfers published on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Arab countries were the four of the five largest arms importers from 2013-2017, according to the SIPRI data. Saudi Arabia was the world’s second largest arms importer, with arms imports increasing by 225 per cent compared with 2008–12. Arms imports by Egypt—the third largest importer in 2013–17—grew by 215 per cent between 2008-12 and 2013-17.
“I would expect it to stay stable or maybe increase in 2018,” said SIPRI’s Pieter Wezeman. “The use of weapons in conflicts in the Middle East particularly against ISIL has proven there is a perceived utility to using weapons, and I think we’re likely to see more.”
“I’d be nervous of framing this as a Russian issue – Russia’s by no means alone in using this as a laboratory to test of weapons,” said Chris Woods, the executive director of Airwars, which tracks casualties in Iraq and Syria. “The only thing that might be unique is the number of weapons systems they say they have tested.”
“The British have been heavily touting the Brimstone missiles off the back of their being used in Iraq and Syria – so it’s not unusual to promote home arms sales in this way,” Mr Woods said, referring to a type of air-to-ground missile manufactured in the UK.
None of this bodes well for peace in the Middle East.
“What the Russians and the Americans need to talk about right now, first and foremost, is the de-weaponisation of the region. The arms transfers are just not conducive to peace in region,” said Mr Barmin.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20Profile
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20Shipsy%3Cbr%3EYear%20of%20inception%3A%202015%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Soham%20Chokshi%2C%20Dhruv%20Agrawal%2C%20Harsh%20Kumar%20and%20Himanshu%20Gupta%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20India%2C%20UAE%20and%20Indonesia%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20logistics%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%20more%20than%20350%20employees%3Cbr%3EFunding%20received%20so%20far%3A%20%2431%20million%20in%20series%20A%20and%20B%20rounds%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Info%20Edge%2C%20Sequoia%20Capital%E2%80%99s%20Surge%2C%20A91%20Partners%20and%20Z3%20Partners%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com