Russia ranked third biggest arms exporter in 2021-2025 despite sharp fall, says report

Iryna Levytska - 9 March, 15:08

Launcher vehicles for Russian S-400 air defence missile systems

A report has found that Russia's share of global exports of major arms fell sharply in 2021-2025 compared with 2016-2020, but the country still ranked third among the world's biggest arms exporters.

Source: a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

Details: Russia's share of global deliveries was 6.8% in 2021-2025 compared with 21% in the previous five-year period.

Quote: "US, French, German and Chinese arms exports rose between 2016-20 and 2021-25, while Russian exports fell sharply."

More details: SIPRI said the United States increased exports by 27%, France by 21%, Germany by 15% and China by 11%. Russia's deliveries fell by 64%.

The changes in major arms exports among the top 10 suppliers.

Photo: SIPRI

SIPRI recorded 66 countries supplying major arms in 2021-2025. The US remained the largest exporter, with a 42% share of global deliveries, up from 36% in the previous period.

France ranked second at 9.8%, up from 8.8% previously.

The largest arms suppliers worldwide in 2021-2025.

Photo: SIPRI

The top five also included Germany with 5.7% (up from 5.4%) and China with 5.6% (up from 5.5%).

Other major exporters included Italy, whose share rose to 5.1% from 2.2%, and Israel with 4.4% compared with 3.1%.

The top 10 also included the UK at 3.4% (previously 3.3%), South Korea at 3.0% (previously 2.6%) and Spain at 2.3% (previously 2.4%).

SIPRI reported the main recipients of Russian arms in 2021-2025 were India (48% of Russia's exports), China (13%) and Belarus (13%).

Background: The SIPRI report has also found that Ukraine was the world's biggest importer of major arms in 2021-2025.

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