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No specific talks underway on supply of Russian Mi-35 helicopters to Pakistan — exporter

Russian and Pakistan are only holding consultations
Mil Mi-35M helicopter ITAR-TASS/Valery Matytsin
Mil Mi-35M helicopter
© ITAR-TASS/Valery Matytsin

LE BOURGET, June 18. /TASS/. Russia is holding consultations with Pakistan regarding the possibility of selling Mi-35 helicopters, but no specific talks are underway at the moment, the head of the Air Force department at the Rosoboronexport weapons exporter, Sergey Kornev said on Thursday.

"Consultations (over Mi-35) are in progress but there are no talks," he said at the Le Bourget air show.

Earlier, Rosoboronexport told TASS consultations were afoot with Pakistan on the issue, but avoided disclosing any details.

The head of the state-run corporation Rostec, Sergey Chemezov, declared that Russia had lifted its embargo from the supplies of weapons and military equipment to Pakistan and negotiations about selling a batch of helicopters to that country. The Russian Foreign Ministry said later that a batch of Mi-35 helicopters was on the agenda.

At present Pakistan operates a fleet of several Mi-17 helicopters it had received from the United States for struggle with militants.

Mi-35M is a fundamental upgrade of the Mi-24 helicopter gunship boasting new avionics, onboard equipment, tail air screw and a more powerful engine.