Yerevan /Mediamax/. Kommersant newspaper commented today on the contract, signed by Armenia and Russia on purchase of four Su-30SM multirole fighter aircrafts, which Armenia will get from Russia in 2020.

“Not only did the Russian side provide the CSTO ally with a loan for this deal, but it also sold aircrafts to the Armenians for Russian domestic prices instead of the export rates. For the first time in decades Armenia purchases new and not used jets,” the newspaper writes.

The deal also provides for trainings for Armenian pilots at Russian military establishments.

The newspaper notes that Moscow and Yerevan signed a contract about 6 years ago, according to which Armenia should receive no fewer than 12 fighters during several years.

“However, the deal didn’t take effect due to the financial difficulties of the customer. Since then the sides returned to the discussion of the perspectives of the deal, but they couldn’t reach a consensus for a long time,” Kommersant writes.

Editor-in-Chief of Arms Export magazine, Andrei Frolov noted that the purchase of modern aircrafts by Armenia is “a serious step, which can significantly increase the military potential of the country.”

According to him, Azerbaijan’s reaction to this deal will expectedly be negative, as Azerbaijani air force doesn’t possess similar advanced fighters; they only have MiG-29 jets, modernized in Ukraine.

“This Russian-Armenian contract may motivate Baku to purchase new aircrafts, not necessarily from Russia, but from Pakistan, for instance,” the expert thinks.