ZHUKOVSKY, Moscow region, July 18. /TASS/. Russian Defense Ministry plans to begin purchases of MIG-35 lightweight fighter jets as of 2018, Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov told reporters on Tuesday on the sidelines of the MAKS 2017 aerospace show.

"R&D works are near complete and we hope we could begin the purchases in the interests of the Armed Forces as of 2018," he said.

MIG-35 is the newest Russian G4++ multirole fighter jet. It represents a highly upgraded extension of the line of fighters that includes the MIG-29K/KUB and MIG-29M/M2 jets.

Its flight tests began on January 26 and its international presentation took place in the Moscow region on January 27.

Earlier reports said the Defense Ministry had placed an order for two fighters to be delivered in 2017 or 2018.