Russian military considers buying aerial drones from Israel

The Russian General Staff has decided to buy unmanned planes from Israel over the next two to three years, a lawmaker in the lower house's defense committee said Thursday.

Mikhail Musatov quoted General Staff chief Nikolai Makarov as saying: "The General Staff has decided that while we don't have such drones, over the next two to three years, we will buy them from Israel."

Musatov said the unmanned reconnaissance planes at issue were those used by Georgia during August offensive on its breakaway republic of South Ossetia.

"These are unmanned reconnaissance planes, which had performed well in Georgia. They were used by Georgia at that time," he said.

Numerous flights by reconnaissance drones over South Ossetia were reported by Russian peacekeepers before Georgia launched its military offensive against the region on August 8.

Earlier reports said Georgia had acquired a total of 40 drones, worth around $2 million each, from Israel between 2006 and 2008. RIA Novosti

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