Russian Arms Manufacturers Isolated From the Pack at United Arab Emirates Defense Expo 

Russia’s representatives found themselves relegated to exposition space outside the main pavilion where all other attendees were located

Russian companies were in attendance this week at the Dubai Air Show. The venue is a major event for weapons and military technology manufacturers to present their newest products.

Since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine War in 2022, the United Arab Emirates has sought to straddle a delicate balance in maintaining its relationships with both the West and Russia. In non-alignment with the comprehensive Western-led sanctions levied on Russia, the UAE has continued to maintain a policy of neutrality, despite increasing US pressure.

One Russian executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity asserted that “[We] did not know why Russian firms had apparently been deliberately kept away from the main exhibition area where companies like US firm Lockheed Martin are present.”

The KA-52, a Russian attack helicopter produced by the US-sanctioned Russian Helicopters Corporation that has been used extensively in the war in Ukraine, was also on display. 

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was present in the showroom.

The Russian executive, while declining to identify the specific countries, said that “countries from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas had visited the pavilion so far.”