Russia appears to be losing one of its largest and most traditional arms markets in Asia.
Vietnam remains one of the key Asian markets for Russian-made weapons, having fully equipped its combat aviation with Soviet- and Russian-designed aircraft, including the Su-22, Su-27, Su-30, and Yak-130. However, as early as 2022, Vietnam announced plans to diversify its arms procurement in order to reduce dependence on Russia. Recent reports indicate that Hanoi and France have made progress in negotiations over the potential purchase of Dassault Rafale fighter jets, News.Az reports, citing Defense Express.
The shift away from additional Russian…