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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Russia sold weapons ranging from Kalashnikov assault rifles to missile systems at the biennial arms show in the United Arab Emirates on Monday — even as Russia faces threats over its war on Syria. Western sanctions. Ukraine.
Dubbed the International Defense Exhibition and Conference, the event, held in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, highlighted how the Gulf Arab Federation is seeking to embrace Moscow while balancing ties with the West.
Russian money continues to pour into Dubai’s red-hot real estate market as the first anniversary of Russia’s war against Ukraine approaches on Friday.
Daily flights between Emirates and Moscow continued as the war raged on, providing a rare lifeline for fleeing conscription and the Russian elite. The U.S. Treasury Department has already raised concerns about the amount of Russian cash flowing into countries on the Arabian Peninsula.
Arms shows typically see the UAE host people who might be seen as problematic in the west. Former Sudanese strongman Omar al-Bashir arrives in the 2017 edition. Chechen regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov, himself now deeply embroiled in the Ukraine war, has been here in 2019 and 2021.
This year’s event has attracted Libya’s Khalifa Hifter, the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army commander who faces a U.S. lawsuit alleging he orchestrated indiscriminate attacks on civilians and tortured and killed political opponents.
While there was no direct acknowledgment at this year’s show, Russia’s influence on the war in Ukraine was evident throughout Monday’s show.
To reach the Russian exhibition tent, fairgoers had to leave Abu Dhabi’s cavernous National Exhibition Center and follow a skybridge through an outdoor area.
Russian officials prevented Associated Press reporters from entering their tent as the incident unfolded, initially without explanation. About an hour later, an Associated Press reporter saw Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov emerge from the tent.
Manturov is sanctioned by the United States and Britain, and London says he was “responsible for overseeing the Russian arms industry and equipping mobilized troops” in the war against Ukraine.
Inside, a video screen proclaims the power of Russian surface-to-air missile systems, like those now being used to hit Ukrainian cities. A salesman shows a Kalashnikov assault rifle to the UAE army. Other model missiles sit on display.
Just outside the tent, Russian Helicopters displayed several civilian aircraft, flanked by attractive young women in silver flying caps.
UAE leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was not present at the opening ceremony, which was attended by his brother Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mode. However, an English-language version of a Russian magazine at the arms show featured pictures of Sheikh Mohammed smiling and shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during an earlier visit to Moscow.
In contrast, Baikal’s giant armed drone is parked next to the Russian tent. The Bayraktar drone of the Turkish drone company played such a pivotal role in Kiev’s campaign against Russia that there is even a Ukrainian song about the aircraft.
Not far away, the U.S. Army Corps displayed a mock-up of a Javelin anti-tank missile, allowing the curious to launch it in a computer simulation.
U.S. Army First Sergeant. Evan Williams of the 2-116th Cavalry Regiment said he and his soldiers spoke at the exhibition with Russian tourists and others who were curious about the weapon, which was used in Ukraine Lethal impact on Russian armored vehicles.
“You’ve seen people walk by and be a little bit suspicious of it,” said Williams, who is from Boise, Idaho. “They came to talk to us and asked us questions about it.”
The U.S. Army also exhibited Patriot missile batteries at the show. In 2022, the U.S. military will use the battery in combat for the first time in decades to help defend Abu Dhabi from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Meanwhile, Israel also displayed its first full contingent of arms companies, the first since the UAE diplomatically recognized the country in 2020. Leaders of both Israel and the United Arab Emirates are deeply skeptical of Iran’s intentions, even as the UAE has been trying to de-escalate relations with Tehran, which is now enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels than ever before.
Relations between Israel and the UAE have warmed even as Israel continues to build settlements on land where Palestinians hope to build their future state and as more Israeli-Palestinian violence surges.
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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
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