- Russia says its arms export portfolio has risen to $70 billion, with Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov attributing the increase to demand generated by systems used in the Ukraine war.
- The reported growth comes as Russia prioritizes its own military needs after heavy battlefield losses, while many export deliveries involve sanctioned states or previously signed contracts.
Russia has announced a record increase in its export weapons portfolio, with First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov stating on Friday that Moscow now holds $70 billion in signed defense contracts.
Manturov delivered the figures during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, marking the largest reported volume of foreign military orders in Russia’s history.
According to Manturov, Russia’s export backlog had never exceeded $55 billion before 2022. “The maximum volume of the portfolio before 2022 was 55 billion dollars. Today it is a record, it is 70 billion dollars under already signed contracts,” he told Putin. He attributed the expansion to foreign interest driven by Russia’s ongoing combat operations in Ukraine. “I think that such a trend will continue, because the equipment tested in the course of the special military operation promotes itself,” Manturov said.
Manturov added that demand for Russian weapons has risen as overseas customers study the performance of newly fielded and modernized systems. “Successful use in the zone of the special military operation of new and modernized models of weapons and equipment affects the growth of demand from foreign customers,” he said.
During the briefing, Manturov outlined the categories generating the most attention abroad. “First of all, this concerns air-defense systems, aviation equipment, and multiple-launch rocket systems. There is great interest in our unmanned systems and electronic-warfare assets,” he stated.
The Kremlin portrays its defense products as combat-proven due to continuous use in Ukraine, where Russia’s forces have deployed a wide range of air-defense platforms, drones, and guided weapons across intense, high-tempo operations.
Manturov acknowledged that exports remain subject to constraints due to Russia’s own wartime requirements. On December 26, he told state media that deliveries under foreign contracts were being postponed because the Russian Armed Forces take priority. “We have a lot of requests. We are forced, naturally, prioritizing the tasks of the Ministry of Defense, to postpone plans for deliveries to our friendly countries, but this period is not far off, so we will definitely increase military-technical cooperation,” he said in that interview.
Russia’s defense industry has expanded production capacity since early 2022, with factories shifting to multi-shift output and modernizing Soviet-era facilities to meet wartime and export demands. Officials have framed this industrial expansion as evidence of resilience under Western sanctions, though Russia remains reliant on foreign-sourced electronics and components for many systems.
The new export figures were presented directly to Putin during a session focused on Russia’s economic and defense-industrial performance. Putin has repeatedly pressed the industry to accelerate timelines, increase production of drones and precision weapons, and maintain steady deliveries to forces deployed in Ukraine.
Countries purchasing Russian military systems include long-standing partners in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Many of these states continue to view Russia as a low-cost supplier with experience operating in contested air-defense environments. However, Western sanctions, banking restrictions, and the reputational costs associated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have complicated logistics and slowed payments for some clients.
Manturov’s remarks suggest Moscow intends to use wartime combat data as a central marketing tool. Russia’s defense establishment has highlighted real-world performance of systems such as the S-300 and S-400 air-defense platforms, Orion and Lancet drones, and upgraded multiple-launch rocket systems. The government argues that visibility in Ukraine enhances confidence from foreign militaries seeking proven systems for their own modernization plans.
Much of the reported export growth stems from clients already under sanctions with limited procurement alternatives, or from contracts signed years earlier, such as deliveries of S-400 systems to India or Su-34 aircraft to Algeria. This raises questions about the durability of Russia’s export momentum and its long-term ability to sustain both domestic requirements and foreign commitments.