Russia and the U.S. negotiate the delivery of more Mi-17 helicopters in Afghanistan

Russia and the United States are currently negotiating the delivery of Russian Mi-17 helicopters to Afghanistan, reported Thursday the Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

"I can confirm that we have indeed been approached by the U.S. Department of Defense for the acquisition of ten Mi-17," said the spokesman for Rosoboronexport, Vyacheslav Davidenko, local journalists.　

However, he did not give further details on this new acquisition.

In May 2011, the U.S. Department of Defense has signed a $ 900 million with Russia to buy 21 Mi-17 helicopters in the interest of the Afghan armed forces. It was the first Russian-American agreement on the delivery of military goods to a third country.

These days, Rosoboronexport was targeted by U.S. authorities who accused him of supplying weapons to Syria. But the Pentagon said that the agreement with Rosoboronexport was the only legal way to provide helicopters to Afghanistan and help Afghan forces "to pursue their own battles in their own country".

Rosoboronexport said Wednesday that he had sent no military equipment to foreign countries in violation of UN sanctions.