At the International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, Russian salespeople displayed a helicopter made by Russian Helicopters. In a tent outside the biennial arms fair, Russia put up various weapons for sale, including Kalashnikov assault rifles and missile systems, despite facing sanctions from the West due to its conflict with Ukraine.

The arms sale at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, demonstrates how the Gulf Arab federation has strived to balance its relations with Moscow and the West.

The link between Moscow and the Emirates is kept alive via daily flights used by those attempting to escape conscription and members of Russia’s upper class. The US Treasury has voiced worries about the high Russian currency streaming into the Arabian Peninsula.

In 2017, Omar al-Bashir, a former Sudanese strongman, visited the arms fair hosted by the Emiratis. Additionally, Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen regional leader involved in the Ukraine war, was present at the fair in both 2019 and 2021.

This year’s gathering saw Commander of the Libyan National Army, Khalifa Hifter, in attendance, whom the US government is currently suing for allegedly carrying out assaults on non-combatants and mistreatment and death of political adversaries. 

The armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine

Friday marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s military conflict with Ukraine. According to the US Department of the Treasury, a significant sum of Russian funds has been channeled into Dubai’s booming real estate market.

The recent armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been one of the most intense and long-lasting geopolitical issues. It began in 2014 and has left the two countries in constant tension and unrest. Both sides have accused the other of violating international law and committing human rights abuses. The war has immensely affected both countries’ civilian lives and economic and political stability. Despite numerous attempts at negotiations, the war persists, with no clear end in sight.

The situation between Russia and Ukraine has been escalating in recent times. Tensions between the two nations have risen, and the situation has become more complicated. The ongoing conflict has been a global concern, with the international community attempting to mediate the situation. The consequences of the situation could be far-reaching, so the two sides must agree.

Ukraine’s Hampered Progress

It has been one year since the Russian-Ukraine war began, and the conflict continues. Though both sides have suffered losses, the consequences of the war have been felt across the entire region. Numerous reports have been of human rights abuses, citizen displacement, and infrastructure destruction. In addition, the region’s economy has been disrupted, and the impact of the ongoing war on the population remains severe. This has resulted in an increasingly unstable region with no end to the conflict.

Hundreds of assaults have brought Ukraine’s healthcare system to the brink.

Russia has been accused of mounting cyberattacks on Ukraine’s health care system. Reports assert that the assaults have been launched to disrupt the country’s medical infrastructure and undermine its ability to provide medical services. These cyberattacks have been described as persistent and aggressive and seen as a further escalation of hostilities between the two countries.

Biden in Poland: US and Allies stand firm in Ukraine’s defense

Russia and Ukraine had conflicted since 2014, when Moscow annexed Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. US President Joe Biden has recently been vocal in supporting the Ukrainian government in this dispute. Biden has declared that the United States stands in solidarity with Kyiv and will not remain neutral in the face of Russian aggression. This has prompted the Russian government to warn that any US interference in the conflict could escalate tensions between the two countries.

Wagner’s Rocky Relationship With Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to head the government. This decision was made in response to the increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Shoigu has been tasked with forming a new cabinet and will be responsible for implementing Putin’s policies. The appointment of Shoigu is seen as a signal of Putin’s commitment to the region’s stability.

Monday’s fair was pervaded with evidence of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, even though it was not overtly acknowledged.

Visitors of the fair were required to depart from the expansive National Exhibition Center of Abu Dhabi and traverse a sky-bridge to get to Russia’s exhibition tent situated outside.

AP reporters were held up from entering the tent while an event was taking place by Russian authorities, with no elucidation initially. Subsequently, after around an hour, the journalists witnessed Denis Manturov, Russia’s minister of trade and industry, leaving the tent.

The United States and the United Kingdom have both imposed sanctions on Manturov, asserting that he is accountable for the administration of the Russian armaments sector and the provision of arms to the combatants in the Ukraine conflict. In contrast, Manturov has considered the war a great promotional opportunity for Russian military products.

The Tass news agency reported that [the speaker] indicated that there is an increased interest in certain weapons relevant to the conflict whenever there is a military action. He was referring specifically to air defense systems of various ranges currently in high demand.

“Any military action is further accompanied by interest in those products, those weapons that are in demand in a given military conflict,” he said, according to the Tass news agency. “Therefore, certainly, interest is now high in air defense systems — short-, medium-, and long-range ones.”

He added: “Each transaction is subject to close scrutiny from our Western colleagues — they are trying to create obstacles; we ensure the security of such deals so that they are as effective as possible and implemented privately.”

Emirati authorities made no official statement regarding the presence of Manturov.

When the Associated Press inquired about Russian participation at the arms fair, the US State Department declared that potential purchasers should stand in solidarity with Ukraine and abstain from large Russian arms and equipment purchases.

“While we regard arms sales and defense cooperation as a sovereign decision for individual states, we have long made clear with allies and partners worldwide our concerns about the revenue for Moscow as well as malign Kremlin influence that comes with continued dependence on arms purchases from Russia,” the State Department said.

As Joe Biden was in Kyiv, Ukraine, the UAE provided a home to thousands of American troops, and Manturov visited the Emirates at this time.

In the Russian tent, a video monitor was demonstrating the might of Moscow’s surface-to-air missiles, the same type that are now being used in Ukrainian cities. In addition, Emirati troops looked at Kalashnikov assault rifles while other types of missiles were showcased.

Russian helicopters were surrounded by models wearing silver flight caps outside the tent, showcasing several of their civilian aircraft.

At the opening of the arms fair, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan was present, while Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was not seen. Nevertheless, one Russian magazine published an English edition that had photographs of the UAE leader smiling and shaking the hand of Russian President Vladimir Putin from a prior visit to Moscow.

Baykar had a massive armed drone situated close to the Russian tent. The Bayraktar drones of the Turkish business have been so significant in the Kyiv offensive against Russia that there is even a Ukrainian song dedicated to the aircraft.

A stone’s throw away, the US Army had a display featuring a Javelin anti-tank missile. Visitors were able to try it out in a digital simulation.

Williams, a 1st Sergeant in the US Army from the 2-116th Cavalry Regiment, declared that he and his troops conversed with Russian attendees of the fair and other individuals interested in the Ukrainian weapon, which has been used to eliminate Russian armored vehicles successfully.

Williams of Boise, Idaho, reported that passersby often stop and take a different look at it and will come over to them to inquire further.

At the fair, the US Army showcased a Patriot missile battery deployed by American forces in the battle for the first time in years in 2022 to protect Abu Dhabi from Yemeni Houthi rebels sponsored by Iran.

A full contingent of Israeli weapons companies was present for the first time since the UAE diplomatically recognized Israel in 2020. Israel and the UAE’s leadership harbor distrust toward Iran. However, the UAE has attempted to de-escalate tensions with Tehran, which has enriched uranium to dangerously close levels to being weapons-grade.

The relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Israel has grown closer, despite Israel’s construction of settlements in territory the Palestinians wish to have for their nation, as clashes between Israelis and Palestinians escalate.

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