Russian Arms Exporter Reports $11 Billion In Sales In 2011

Naval personnel stand in front of Russian aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov" at the Mediterranean port Syrian city of Tartous in January.

Russian state-run arms exporter Rosoboroneksport has reported sales of $11 billion in 2011, a rise of more than $2 billion from the previous year.

Anatoly Isaikin, general director of Rosoboroneksport, said the jump came despite billions in lost sales as a result of a UN arms embargo on Libya that targeted then-leader Muammar Qaddafi's regime.

Isaikin said Russia's main arms consumers include India, Venezuela, and Asia-Pacific states, and that air-defense technology accounted for just over half of all exports.

Syria's government is also a major purchaser of Russian-made arms.

Rosoboronexport currently provides arms to 57 countries worldwide.

Russia is the world's second-biggest arms exporter after the United States.

Compiled from agency reports