Duterte welcomes 20 Military Trucks, 5000 AK-47Ms, Weapons and Equipment donated by Russia - The Most Popular Lists

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Duterte welcomes 20 Military Trucks, 5000 AK-47Ms, Weapons and Equipment donated by Russia



Subic Bay Freeport – Two Russian vessels arrived here on Sunday to deliver the donated military equipment as part of the growing partnership between Russia and the Philippines under the Duterte administration.

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This is the third visit of the Russian naval fleet in Duterte’s term. The Russian Alligator-class Landing Ship 081 “Nikolai Vilkov” and the salvage tug “Foty Krylov” docked at the Alava Wharf and unloaded the donated Ural 4320 military trucks.


The 20 Ural trucks were loaded with 5,000 high-powered rifle and one million bullets that were also donated by Moscow. Road users of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) were left in awe after seeing the Ural trucks rolling down the road beside them yesterday.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE — Parked and ready to roll out are these Ural 4320 military trucks donated by Russia shown at the Subic Bay Freeport on Sunday. Each of these 20 Ural trucks are loaded with high-powered rifles and bullets donated by Moscow in support of President Duterte’s thrust to battle all forms of threats to security in the Philippines. (Jonas Reyes)

According to Russia’s Pacific Fleet spokesman Captain 2nd Rank Nikolai Voskresensky, a group of the Pacific Fleet’s big anti-submarine vessels consisting of Admiral Vinogradov and Admiral Panteleyev as well as of the large sea tanker Boris Butoma docked in Manila.

READ: Russia Gives PH a FREE VVIP Helicopter for Philippine Air Force (PAF)


Manila received about 5,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 5,000 steel helmets, about a million rounds of ammunition for the rifles and 20 army trucks in a ceremony attended by President Rodrigo Duterte, who also toured one of five visiting Russian warships.

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte holds a AK-47 assault rifle during a inspection of donated firearms and trucks onboard the Russian destroyer Admiral Panteleyev docked at the port in Metro Manila, Philippines October 25, 2017. Malacanang Presidential Photo/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE.


The gift came a day after Russia and the Philippines signed two military pacts, including a sales contract with Rosoboronexport, a state-owned vendor of Russian defense equipment.

“We are looking at acquiring some equipment for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, but there are no specifics yet,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told Reuters. “We are still discussing.”

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Lorenzana said the Rosoboronexport contract was not a sales deal but signaled the Philippines’ intention to acquire small arms, vehicles and special equipment for disaster operations.


But the Philippines’ biggest source of arms, the United States, was not worried at the prospect of equipment donated by its rivals China and Russia.


“I don’t attach very much significance to it, some trucks or guns being dropped off to a country that’s fighting terrorists right now,” U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters on the plane to Bangkok.

READ: Russian President Putin To Help President Duterte Fight PH Terrorism

“It’s a sovereign decision by the Philippines,” he added. “So it’s not a big issue...other nations are coming to their help.”


The United States and China dominate regional arms trade.


Since 2000, the United States has donated close to $1 billion worth of military equipment to the Philippines, ranging from surveillance planes, drones and boats to small arms.

READ: Russia Want To Help Boost PH Defense Capabilities

China, which promised to donate a third shipment of small arms after a meeting on Wednesday between Lorenzana and his Chinese counterpart, General Chang Wanquan, has already given the Philippines about $7 million in small arms.


The deals with the Philippines will allow Russia to expand its arms market in the region, said another senior Philippine official, who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to media.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte troops the line of Russian sailors before boarding the Russian destroyer Admiral Panteleyev docked at the port in Metro Manila, Philippines October 25, 2017. Malacanang Presidential Photo/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE.

The Philippines is now open to buying Russian arms as Manila cultivates closer ties with Moscow, he added, particularly as the military looks to diversify its equipment, reining in costs while maintaining quality.

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“Moscow has been offering to sell arms to us since the mid-1990s and they are willing to barter guns for bananas,” he said, adding that Russia was selling fighters, helicopters and submarines to the Philippines.

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This article first appeared on Manila Bulletin & Reuters.

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