KYIV. July 2 (Interfax-AVN) - Ukraine gained about $800 million in arms trade in 2008, UkrSpetsStroy Director General Serhiy Bondarchuk said in an interview posted by the Thursday issue of the Segodnya newspaper.
"Arms exports were worth of $700 million in 2007 and about $800 million in 2008, as compared to $400 million in 2004," he said.
Ukraine has made a breakthrough in arms trade geography, Bondarchuk said. He referred to the recently signed contract with India on the repairs and modernization of Antonov An-32 aircraft. The contract costs $400 million.
"Vietnam is another positive example, contracts on the delivery of passive radar systems [about $54 million] and active radar systems [about $50 million] have been signed. We actively cooperate with China and put the emphasis on new technologies and maintenance facilities," he said.
Ukraine offers "armored combat vehicles to Thailand, armored personnel carriers and firearms to Chad and tanks and munitions to Kenya," he said.