Russia building arms plants in Venezuela

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/reuters/2009/11/30/2009-12-01T005136Z_01_N30470009_RTRIDST_0_VENEZUELA-ARMS-RUSSIA.html
11.30.09, 07:51 PM EST
VENEZUELA-ARMS/RUSSIA:Russia building arms plants in Venezuela

By Walker Simon

CARACAS (Reuters) - Russia is building arms plants in Venezuela to produce AK-103 automatic rifles and cartridges and is finalizing contracts to send 53 military helicopters to the Andean nation, Moscow's envoy to Venezuela saidMonday.
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Ambassador Vladmir Zaemskiy told a news conference that Russian engineers and Venezuelan construction firms were building the rifle and cartridge plants which, when operational, would employ more than 1,500 workers.

He gave no completion date for the plants under construction in the central state of Aragua.

Details about Moscow's military shipments and projects have been scarce since socialist President Hugo Chavez's government began signing military agreements with Russia back in 2001.

In recent years, Venezuela has bought over $4 billion in weapons from Russia, including 24 Sukhoi fighter jets. Critics say Caracas is fueling an arms race in Latin America. Chavez says he is modernizing the military for defensive purposes.