[cdn-nucl-l] "Bombers Swapped For Gas"

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@aecl.ca>]

posted at
http://www.awgnet.com/today/news.htm

Bombers Swapped For Gas
The Ukraine has delivered the first three of 11 Soviet-era strategic bombers
to Russia under a barter deal in which the former Soviet republic will use
weapons to pay for Russian natural gas. The first shipment of bombers - two
supersonic Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjacks and a turboprop Tu-95MS Bear-N - flew
to Russia on Friday under a deal signed at Yalta Oct. 6. The 11 planes, plus
cruise missiles, ground support equipment and spare parts, will settle some
$275 million of Ukraine's $1 billion natural gas bill with Russia.
-Aerospace Daily
Copyright 1999 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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comment:
I guess that if a government can swap supersonic strategic nuclear bombers
and cruise missiles for gas, then its only natural for some clever
enterpreneur to swap excess W-Pu or HEU for (Iraqi ? Iranian ? N. Korean ?)
gold or a fat Swiss bankaccount, right ? Besides, who knows if the Russian
government ten years from now might be WORSE than those other ones ?

jaro