<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5acbcc07f41c7832008b4d77-881/screen shot 2018-04-09 at 42346 pm.png" border="0" alt="Dow Jones" data-mce-source="Markets Insider" data-link="http://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones" /><a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones">Markets Insider</a></div></div></div>US stocks surged early, but struggled to hold onto their gains. The <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones">Dow Jones industrial average</a> nearly erased its 400-point gain, finishing higher by just 46 points, or 0.19%. Here's the scoreboard:<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/index/realtime-chart/dow_jones">Dow Jones Industrial Average</a>: 23,979.10 +46.34 (+0.19%)<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500">S&amp;P 500</a>: 2,614.13 +9.66 (+0.37%)<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/aud-usd">AUD/USD</a>: 0.7701 +0.0024 (+0.29%)<a href="https://www.investing.com/indices/australia-200-futures">ASX 200 SPI futures:</a> 5,784.5 +47.5 (+0.83%) <ol><li>The US deficit is expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2020, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-us-budget-deficit-to-balloon-on-republican-tax-cuts-cbo-2018-4?r=UK&amp;IR=T">according to Congressional Budget Office data</a>, which is two years earlier than previously thought. The Republican tax overhaul and spending increases will boost growth in the near-term, the data suggested, but could slow to a sluggish 1.80% in two years. </li><li>Still, many tech stocks climbed their way out of last week's rout. Shares of Google and Apple were up about 1%. </li><li>Russian stocks <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-news-russian-shares-fall-us-sanctions-2018-4?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest">dropped</a> the most in four years, and the <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/usd-rub?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruble</a> was down more than 3% versus the dollar. The Trump administration announced sanctions against Russian government officials, seven oligarchs with ties to the Kremlin, and the state-owned trading company Rosoboronexport, sending Russia's stock market down more than 8%. </li><li>Congress <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-full-opening-remarks-testimony-congress-hearing-wednesday-2018-4">released the testimony of Mark Zuckerberg</a>, who will go before US legislators this week. Shares of Facebook gained 0.34%. Despite a major data breach scandal, <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/facebook-stock-price-jefferies-says-data-scandal-isnt-hurting-user-metrics-2018-4-1020954932">users don't seem to be leaving the platform</a>.</li><li>Tesla fell below the key $300 level, <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-fails-to-hold-key-300-level-2018-4-1020972292">signaling possible trouble ahead</a>. Shares slid more than 3%. </li></ol>Here is <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/economic-calendar#date=04/05/2018&amp;name=&amp;countries=eg,fr,lt,ch,ar,gr,mx,sg,au,hk,nz,sk,bh,in,ne,es,be,id,no,za,br,ie,at,kr,cl,is,pe,tw,cn,it,ph,cz,dk,jp,pl,tr,de,ca,pt,hu,ee,qa,ro,us,eu,co,ru,ae,fi,lv,gb&amp;eventtypes=&amp;tab=2">Tuesday's economic calendar</a>:<ul><li>Reserve Bank of Australia Governor will give a speech.</li><li>US producer prices will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li><li>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify before two Senate committees. </li></ul> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-bull-explains-trade-war-trade-war-fears-overblown-2018-4">Wall Street's biggest bull explains why trade war fears are way overblown</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/4FgKbMOc-xjRU7l6Z.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

The Dow ekes out a gain after surrendering 300 points in the final hour of trading

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5accefbd146e7122008b47aa-2400/ap18095408631667.jpg" border="0" alt="putin" data-mce-source="AP/Alexander Zemlianichenko" data-mce-caption="Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the State Council in the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 5, 2018." />AP/Alexander ZemlianichenkoRussian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the State Council in the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 5, 2018.</div></div></div><ul><li>Tensions are escalating between the US and Russia. </li><li>The US imposed another wave of sanctions on dozens of Russian officials, oligarchs, and companies. </li><li>Those sanctions have roiled Russian markets, and some think things could get a lot worse. </li></ul><hr />It's been a disastrous week for Russian markets - and things could get much worse.Escalating tensions with Washington could send Russia spiraling into a "severe" economic slowdown, BMI analysts wrote in a note to clients Tuesday. "Russia-US relations are at a recent low point and developments set the stage for additional deterioration," they wrote. "Souring relations with the US and more broadly with the West, may lead to a larger slowdown in the Russian economy over the coming years than we currently anticipate."After the US Treasury Department rolled out new sanctions against Moscow last week, Russian stocks <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-news-russian-shares-fall-us-sanctions-2018-4?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took their biggest dive in 4 years</a>, with the benchmark MOEX Index sinking nearly 9%. Likewise, the Russian ruble is on its way to a 10% slide this week. The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/latest-us-sanctions-against-russia-hit-them-where-it-hurts-2018-4?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sanctions</a> target 17 Russian government officials, seven oligarchs with ties to the Kremlin, and the state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport. At least 12 other Russian companies, controlled by the affected oligarchs, are also getting hit. As the US toughens its stance - the tally of recent economic penalties on Moscow is up to 189 - other countries are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/06/us/politics/trump-sanctions-russia-putin-oligarchs.html?mtrref=www.google.com&amp;gwh=18ADADEB746139EABFE05691219D3AB3&amp;gwt=pay">considering</a> doing the same. And that would sting, especially in the case of further measures taken by the West."In particular, the Russian economy remains heavily reliant on trade and investment inflows from the EU," the analysts wrote. On top of that, threats of sanctions on the Kremlin's debt are casting a dark cloud over the Russian bond market. Earlier this year, the Treasury Department drafted a report to assess the impact of sanctioning Russian government bonds. "Under this scenario, the Kremlin would face tough choices: returning to greater austerity, further depriving the economy of much needed stimulus, or accepting a heavier debt burden which could gradually undermine the country's long-term fiscal sustainability," the analysts wrote.Those fears are pressuring an already tense bond market. After yields spiked more than 25% this week, the Russian Finance Ministry cancelled a ruble-bond auction that was planned for April 11. There's no clear end to US-Russia tensions in sight. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0338">said</a> the most recent round of sanctions were meant to penalize the Kremlin for "malign activity" around the world - most recently by supplying materials to the Assad regime, which is accused of another <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-rebels-say-syrian-forces-dropped-chemicals-on-douma-government-denies-accusation-2018-4?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chemical attack</a> that killed at least 70 civilians in Duomo, Syria. Still, a meeting between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin is likely to take place in the future. "We'll continue, as the president has said, he wants to have a good relationship with Russia, but that's going to depend on some of the actions by the Russians," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters last week. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-bull-explains-trade-war-trade-war-fears-overblown-2018-4">Wall Street's biggest bull explains why trade war fears are way overblown</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/4FgKbMOc-xjRU7l6Z.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

US sanctions are killing Russian markets - and things could get a lot worse

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5967d36a552be579088b480b-1072/t-72b1.png" alt="T-72B1 Russian tank" />Russian Defense MinistryIn late June, the Defense Intelligence Agency released a lengthy unclassified <a href="https://info.publicintelligence.net/DIA-RussiaMilitaryPower2017.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> on the Russian military for the first time since 1991, and it contained an interesting detail about Russian military-hardware exports.Russia sells military hardware to about 70 different countries, according to the DIA report.The information in their report was gathered in a number of ways, including human intelligence, satellite imagery, and public information, among others, DIA spokesman Navy Cmdr. William Marks told Business Insider.Rosoboronexport, the Russian state-owned military company accounting for about 85% of all exports, alone sold military equipment to about 70 countries in 2015, according to the DIA report and Evans.Fifteen smaller companies make up for the other 15% of exports, which totals about $2 billion a year, the DIA report said. This means that the actual number of countries that bought weapons from Russia in 2015 could easily be more than 70.The report does not list the specific countries purchasing such equipment from Russia because that information is classified, Evans said.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5788e79788e4a71a008b8458-2400/rtx2dfbb.jpg" alt="Russian S-400" /><a href="http://pictures.reuters.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0FCIAF5S0PW&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1806&amp;RH=916#/SearchResult&amp;VBID=2C0FCIAF5S0PW&amp;SMLS=1&amp;RW=1806&amp;RH=916&amp;POPUPPN=1&amp;POPUPIID=2C0BF1FFKPDK1">Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters</a>Russian S-400 Triumph medium- and long-range surface-to-air missile systems in the Victory Day parade, marking the 71st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Moscow, May 9, 2016.From 2012 to 2016, Russia <a href="https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/Trends-in-international-arms-transfers-2016.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sold</a> weapons to 50 different states, as well as rebel forces in Ukraine, and Moscow remains the second-biggest arms exporter in the world - behind the US.The DIA report, however, has been <a href="http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/just-how-dangerous-russias-military-21383" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">criticized</a> by some for being too hawkish, just like previous DIA reports on the Soviet Union.Sim Tack, an analyst at Stratfor, told Business Insider that previous DIA reports had been attacked for trying to influence policy, and, "the number of countries buying those kind of spare parts or peripherals [from Russia] could easily be that high" because "Russia has sold military equipment to 96 different countries" since the end of the Cold War.Evans told Business Insider that "we absolutely do not try to influence policy," and that DIA intelligence assessments are based on strict standards to which the larger intelligence community also adheres.While Tack said he didn't find anything in the report that seemed misleading, he added that he thought "the discussion about it being a hawkish report is more about the question of 'why do we need to publish a report about the Russian capabilities' and 'and why now?'" <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-music-video-appearance-possibly-tied-to-donald-jr-russia-meeting-emails-2017-7">Trump appeared in a Russian pop singer's music video, and it may be connected to Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian Lawyer</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Here's how many countries buy military equipment from Russia

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51010897.cms" />If the talks go through, <keyword id="2852683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="russian-helicopters">Russian Helicopters</keyword> may make around 140 choppers in India. 
 In a major breakthrough to <keyword id="2257489" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM-Narendra-Modi">PM Narendra Modi</keyword>’s ‘<keyword id="6354869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="make-in-India">Make in India</keyword>’ initiative, Russian Helicopters is in talks with Indian counterparts for a contract for 200 choppers, out of which over 140 will be made in India. 
 
"We are now discussing terms and conditions for the contract and copter configuration," said Igor Chechikov, deputy CEO of Russian Helicopters (RH). 
 
The remaining 60 will be supplied from RH's existing manufacturing facilities in Russia. 
 
The work on 140 choppers will be planned out with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and other partners. 
 
The helicopters will be made in India under a pact signed by Modi during his visit to Moscow in December. 
 
The choppers will be supplied in collaboration with Rosoboronexport, a state export agency. 
 
The ongoing discussions include the scope of setting up a helicopter plant in India which will be in partnership with a number of Indian entities including HAL. 
 
"We expect to produce more helicopters from India, given the country's demand for a wide range of defence and security related equipment," Chechikov said, pointing to the potential of growing the joint venture business as well as technology and knowhow between the two countries. 
 
India has a fleet of over 450 Russian helicopters operating all of which were supplied over the last three decades in various phases. 
 
He also stressed on supporting the Russian hardware by establishing an after sales maintenance hub in India in the coming years. 
 
"India is a very strategic market with a huge demand for helicopters," he said at the Singapore Airshow 2016. 
 
Russian helicopters are widely used by the Indian air force, navy and border security force. 
 
RH is showcasing a wide range of its technology-savvy helicopters and aircraft at the air show for the South East Asian markets.

Russian Helicopters may make choppers in India soon!

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/50b605efecad047e22000023-618-464/air_su35b_knaapo_pic_lg.jpg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="Su-35" width="400" /></div><a href="http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Russias-SU-35-Mystery-Fighter-No-More-04969/">DID</a></div>After trying to buy the Sukhoi SU-35 fighter jet since the 1990s, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2013/03/25/after-a-decade-long-wait-china-and-russia-ink-super-jet-military-deal/?partner=yahootix">China is finally getting 24 of them</a> along with four submarines from Moscow, Forbes reports.
The Russians finally warmed up to the deal (which was trimmed from an order for 48), marking the first big <keyword id="6359526" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Military">military</keyword> equipment purchase between the two nations in over a decade.
<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2013/03/25/after-a-decade-long-wait-china-and-russia-ink-super-jet-military-deal/?partner=yahootix">From Forbes</a>:
The Russians are said to have more confidence that <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> can’t copy their engines, and are also said to need the SU-35 orders because <keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword>’s <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">Defense</keyword> Department is ordering follow-on buys of new upgraded Sukhoi SU-35s instead.
The deals raised concern among some regional defense players — namely India.
The new acquisitions seem to be just the beginning for military cooperation, with plans for even more bullets and bombs down the line. 
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21930280">BBC News reports</a>:
"The Su-35 fighters can effectively reduce pressure on China's air defence before Chinese-made stealth fighters come online," the People's Daily was quoted as saying.
It said the two countries were expected to co-operate further in developing military technology - including for S-400 long-range anti-aircraft missiles, 117S large thrust engines, IL-476 large transport aircraft and IL-78 aerial tankers.
But they aren't just giving weapons to China. It seems, however, that Moscow is playing all sides in arming its neighbors. As UPI reports, there's a huge aerospace exhibition happening in Malaysia this week, with the goal of bringing on more Asian nations as customers, which already account for 43 percent of Russia's military sales.
<a href="http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2013/03/26/Russia-goes-all-out-at-Malaysia-exhibition/UPI-25271364312131/?spt=hs&amp;or=si">From UPI</a>:
Rosoboronexport is featuring an interactive display system at this year's event to show advanced defense products such as the Su-35 multirole fighter, the Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft, Mi-28NE combat helicopter, Mi-35M combat transport helicopter, Ka-52 combat reconnaissance-and-attack helicopter, Mi-26T heavy-lift helicopter, Gepard-3.9 frigate, and Project 14310 Mirazh and Project 12200 Sobol patrol boats.
Rosoboronexport is also spotlighting its latest air defense/anti-missile systems. Among them: the Antey-2500, Buk-M2E, Tor-M2E, Igla-S missile systems and Pantsir-S1 gun-missile system.
As correspondents at BBC <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21930280">point out,</a> Russia and China "are trying to counterbalance American military dominance."
The Russian-made jet will join a fleet that includes China's own J-20 stealth fighter, a fifth-generation aircraft that <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/china-denies-stealth-fighter-j-20s-technology-was-stolen-258981">some believe came from technology</a> stolen from a downed U.S. fighter.

Russia Is Selling More And More Weapons To Asia

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5696a162e6183e8a0f8b915b-711-533/putin-ally-says-opposition-should-be-tried-as-enemies-of-the-people.jpg" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin gives an interview to Germany's Bild newspaper at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia, January 5, 2016. REUTERS/Alexey Nikolsky/Sputnik/Kremlin " data-mce-source="Thomson Reuters" data-mce-caption="Russian President Putin gives interview to Germany's Bild newspaper in Sochi" />Thomson ReutersRussian President Putin gives interview to Germany's Bild newspaper in Sochi</div></div></div>Russia will ship small arms to Afghanistan next month, a top diplomat announced Wednesday, expanding Moscow's role as the United States winds down its military mission and the Taliban and other militants appear to gain ground.Russia is concerned that extremist factions in Afghanistan could increasingly spill over the northern borders into former Soviet Central Asian countries where Russia has a major military presence.The decision also bolsters Russia's role in a nation that was a Cold War-era ally and the scene of Moscow's disastrous military intervention in the 1980s.It comes at a time when Russia is expanding activities outside its borders, conducting wide-ranging airstrikes in Syria and pushing for a bigger international role to resolve a series of conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere.The shipment of small arms will take place in February, but Russia does not have further plans to ship other weapons, said President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for Afghanistan."For now this is quite sufficient," the diplomat, Zamir Kabulov, told the Interfax news agency.The United States and its allies have withdrawn most of their military presence over the past year, leaving Kabul searching for new partners in its efforts to fend off the Taliban.Russia has trained Afghan air force pilots in the years since a U.S.-led alliance toppled the Taliban after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. But Afghan officials in recent months have pushed Moscow to increase its aid.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5198fa2feab8eadb09000010-3500-2333/rtr2p36h.jpg" alt="Russia " data-mce-source="REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko " data-mce-caption="New graduates to the Russian interior ministry special forces (OMON) hold their weapons after finishing their training during a ceremony in the southern Russian city of Stavropol July 20, 2011." />REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko New graduates to the Russian interior ministry special forces (OMON) hold their weapons after finishing their training during a ceremony in the southern Russian city of Stavropol July 20, 2011.</div></div></div>Russia has sent arms to Kabul after being paid by intermediaries, including India and the United States. Last fall, a series of Afghan officials visited Moscow to request helicopter gunships and heavy weaponry.In 2011, the <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">Defense</keyword> Department signed a contract with Russia's arm sales agency, Rosoboronexport, to supply the Afghan military with Russian-made helicopters. The agency had been hit with Western sanctions after Russia's military incursion into Ukraine, but in November it was granted a U.S. exemption to maintain the helicopters.Putin said in October that the situation in Afghanistan was "close to critical" and has signaled an openness to increasing his nation's role there.But any significant escalation would come with extreme caution from Moscow, where memories of Afghanistan as a graveyard for Soviet troops remain powerful.The 1979-1989 war there cost thousands of Soviet military lives and was a factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Soviet army battled insurgent forces that were backed by the West and attracted Islamists fighters such as Osama bin Laden.Even now, military casualties are one of the most politically sensitive subjects in Russia.Last month, Russia announced that it had begun limited information exchange with the Taliban in order to combat the Islamic State, which has a growing presence in Afghanistan. The unusual arrangement came as Russia grows increasingly concerned that the Islamic State could pose a domestic terrorism threat. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tony-robbins-explains-how-train-emotions-2015-12">TONY ROBBINS: How to pull yourself out of a funk</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="B2bHAweTrCYvvw4T3SRS6_9XzuuSa9ql" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'B2bHAweTrCYvvw4T3SRS6_9XzuuSa9ql',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

Afghan forces to receive Russian arms as Moscow seeks expanded role

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:480px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/520a3cadeab8ea597200001b-1200-924/russia-kid-rifle-soviet-uniform.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="Russia kid rifle soviet uniform" width="480" />REUTERS</div></div>If this isn't absurd, I don't know what is.
The Atlantic today <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/08/while-obamas-snubbing-putin-how-about-ending-this-terrible-defense-contract-too/278537/">ran a post detailing how arms deals</a> with <keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword> to supply Afghans with helicopters (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-buying-aircraft-afghans-cant-use-2013-6">that they can't even use</a>) not only tie the Russian <keyword id="6354810" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Defense">defense</keyword> industry to continued influence over the Afghan government, but also inadvertently support a former KGB agent's efforts to arm <keyword id="6354913" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Syria">Syria</keyword>'s Bashar al Assad.
In fact, this arms dealer is trying to supply Syria with S300 surface to air missiles, <a href="http://english.ruvr.ru/news/2013_05_30/Israel-vows-to-stop-Syria-s-S-300-missile-shield-from-becoming-operational-4653/">the same ones</a> that Israel warned could take down one of their airliners.
Let that sink in for a second.
The Atlantic's <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/sonni-efron/">Sonni Efron</a> points out that the head of the defense company in question, Rosoboronexport, is "Sergey Chemezov, Putin's KGB buddy from their <a href="http://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya/obshchestvo/239270-zavhoz-iz-drezdena-kak-vladimir-putin-soshelsya-s-sergeem-chemezovym" target="_blank">days together in East Germany</a>."
That company is in line to get about a billion dollars in taxpayer dollars to help arm and then later supply the Afghan Air Force. Presumably, <keyword id="6354541" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="afghanistan">Afghanistan</keyword> will pay the continuing service contracts, but <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/world/asia/pentagon-report-foresees-continued-support-for-afghanistan.html?_r=0">considering the continued financial support</a> the US has pledged to Afghanistan, it's safe to say <keyword id="6354998" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Washington">Washington</keyword> will be in bed with Rosoboroexport for a while.
Unless they cancel the contract.
This type of absurdity happened more recently <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/world/africa/weapons-sent-to-libyan-rebels-with-us-approval-fell-into-islamist-hands.html?pagewanted=all">when the U.S. OK'd Qatar and Saudi Arabia</a> in 2011 to arm Libyan rebels. Shortly after, in 2012, Mark Mazetti of the New York Times wrote about how Washington freaked out upon realizing those <keyword id="6356319" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="weapons">weapons</keyword> were getting in the hands of radical jihadis.
Ironically, Mazetti felt the need to note in the second graph of that post that "there was no evidence" that those same weapons were used in the assault on Benghazi.
In other words, no one has any idea if they were or not.
If there's ever a reason to cancel a dubious contract with a dubious KGB-run arms company, it's that Washington <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/revealed-what-the-west-has-given-syrias-rebels-8756447.html">can't be sure</a> of the consequences.

US Plans To Buy Weapons From Former KGB Agent, Who Also Arms Syria's Assad

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/511b8f396bb3f7ef73000022-523-392/russia-missile-iskander.jpeg?maxX=400" border="0" alt="russia missile iskander" width="400" /></div>Alexander Nemenov/AFP<keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword> has denied selling <keyword id="6354913" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Syria">Syria</keyword> its advanced Iskander ballistic missile system</div>Russia said Wednesday it was delivering <keyword id="6359526" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Military">military</keyword> hardware and light weapons to the governments of Syria and <keyword id="6360719" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mali">Mali</keyword> as it expands sales and maintains its footing in some of the world's deadliest conflicts.
The head of Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Anatoly Isaikin, said Russian deliveries to the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad included air defence systems but not the advanced Iskander missiles sought by Damascus.
"We are continuing to fulfil our obligations on contracts for the delivery of military hardware," Isaikin was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
He also rejected reports that Russia was planning to supply advanced MiG29-M fighters to Damascus while confirming that it had a deal outstanding for Yak-130 trainer jets.
Isaikin said Syria currently ranked "13th or 14th in terms of volume" on the list of nations receiving Russian arms supplies.
Russia has been repeatedly condemned by Western and Arab nations for maintaining links to the Syrian government despite violence that UN estimates show has claimed more than 70,000 lives.
Its shipment this year of repaired attack helicopters to the regime was disclosed by the media and drew a furious response from former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Isaikin also revealed that Moscow had recent military contacts with the government of Mali as it wages a French-led campaign to expel armed groups of Islamic militants from its land.
He said small amounts of light weapons were already being delivered to Mali and that new sales were under discussion.
"We have delivered firearms. Literally two weeks ago another consignment was sent. These are completely legal deliveries," said Isaikin said.
"We are in talks about sending more, in small quantities."
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