Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnamese People’s Army Phan Van Giang recently discussed strengthening ties between the two nations in the field of defence and military-technical cooperation.
The meeting between the Russian and Vietnamese officials took place in Hanoi this March as part of Patrushev’s two-day working visit to Vietnam.
Security Council Press Secretary Yevgeny Anoshin, said, “The parties stressed that defence and military-technical cooperation are the key components of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam being of a trusting and advanced nature.”
Cooperation Between Russia & Vietnam
According to open sources, Russia has supplied Vietnam with:
- four GEPARD class frigates
- six Project 636 VARSHAVYANKA conventional submarines
- 12 MOLNIYA missile boats (two of which were delivered ready-made from Russia with 10 produced under license in Vietnam).
The Vietnamese navy is also equipped with the BASTION mobile coastal missile system which employs YAKHONT anti-ship missile.
Russian-made air defence systems form a core of Vietnam’s national air defence which includes a large number of S-300PMU1 long range systems and IGLA Man Portable Air-Defence Systems. The Vietnamese Air Force operate 32 Su-30MK2 multirole fighters and in 2019, Vietnam and Russia reportedly signed a deal for at least 12 Yak-130 combat trainers for over US$350M.
In September 2019 Alexander Mikheev, Rosoboronexport CEO announced that Vietnam had become one of the largest customers for Russian military products.
At the time, he said, “Today Vietnam is one of the key partners of Russia in Southeast Asia. Cooperation between our countries is going on in all types of weapons and military equipment. As part of the modernisation of the national armed forces, Vietnam has become one of the largest customers for Russian products, and we note with satisfaction that despite the growing competition, our samples are still a priority here.”
Yury Laskin
