UK says Russia defence firms showcasing kit internationally as troops in Ukraine use old weapons

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) says Russian defence companies are showcasing their products at international arms fairs while Moscow forces in Ukraine continue to use old equipment.

In an intelligence update, the MOD said the Arena-E active protection system for armoured vehicles has been shown off, although there is "no evidence" of it being installed on Russia's vehicles in Ukraine.

The MOD says Russia has lost more than 5,000 armoured vehicles in Ukraine.

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"This is likely due to Russian industry’s inability to manufacture high-tech systems at scale; a problem which is exacerbated by the effect of international sanctions," the update said.

According to the Russian news agency Tass, Arena-E was recently displayed at IDEX-2023, a weapons show in the United Arab Emirates.  

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine just over a year ago, there have been numerous reports of Russian forces using old, outdated equipment on the battlefield.

A Russian spring offensive is expected in Ukraine, with the UK estimating that 97% of the Russian army is involved in the war.