A Russian newspaper is reporting that Russia has a contract to provide Syria with powerful MiG fighter jets but has not begun delivering the planes.
Kommersant cited the head of Russia's state-run United Aircraft Corporation, Alexei Fyodorov, as saying a 2007 contract to sell MiG-31E interceptor fighters to Syria has not entered into force.
The paper said Russian arms sales officials have denied such a contract exists.
The speedy MiG-31E can fire simultaneously at several targets up to 180kilometers (over 110 miles) away. Deliveries to Syria would anger Israel.
Kommersant cited Fyodorov as saying a contract to provide Syria with Mig-29M fighters is being implemented.
State arms sales company Rosoboronexport declined to comment on the report.
In May, Reuters cited a Kommersant report that claimed Russia halted plans to sell MIG-31 fighter jets to Syria because of pressure from Israel.
In 2007, Russia agreed to supply Syria with eight MiG-31 fighters, known in the West by NATO codename Foxhound, for about $400-$500 million, the paper said.
Kommersant, a commerce-oriented newspaper published in Russia, quoted an unidentified person close to Russia's state arms exporter as saying that Moscow had halted the contract due to pressure from Israel.


