The following analysis of Syria-FSU military
cooperation is based mainly on Russian, Ukrainian and other CIS sources
which are not generally used by western researchers. The analysis
clarifies that the Syrians have managed to make good use of the
disintegration of the Soviet Union and of the “gray” market for arms,
which was “blooming” in Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia etc. in the early
1990s.
By
“shopping” in that way, Syria was able to solve some of its army's most
urgent problems, such as supplying it with ammunition and spare parts, and
it could also refresh its arsenal of light and anti-tank weaponry. There
is no indication that Damascus will abandon in the future the ramifying
and good relations that it established in these countries Syria plays a
very important role in Russia’s plans and aspirations to return to the
Middle East and Damascus does not even pay its debts and bargains on
making very modest scaled arms orders. It knows Moscow needs it both for
strategic and commercial objectives.
