Philippines cancels order for Russian helicopters

Philippine authorities have canceled an order for 16 Russian military helicopters, a turnaround that could benefit the United States, Manila's historic ally.

(Illustration) AP - Darko Vojinovic

Text by: RFI Follow

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The Philippine authorities have canceled the order for 16 Russian military helicopters, confirming press articles assuring that ex-president Rodrigo Duterte had decided to breach the contract because of American sanctions against Moscow. 

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The modernization of Philippine military equipment will therefore be done without Russia.

Manila, a longtime ally of the United States, had concluded a contract in November for 12.7 billion Philippine pesos (228 million euros) for Mi-17 helicopters to modernize its military equipment.

But the Philippine Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that it was " 

 " of this contract.

Manila justifies this cancellation by "

 ", without however citing the American sanctions against Moscow.

Delfin Lozenzana, Minister of Defense under former President Rodrigo Duterte, assured in March that the sale was still valid, Manila having paid a deposit before the start of the war.

But last week, Mr. Lozenzana assured that the ex-president had decided to break the contract before handing over control on June 30 to his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who confirmed the decision.

Moscow is losing ground

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Washington and its allies have imposed a series of sanctions aimed at cutting Russia off from the global financial system and drying up funds to finance its war.

Even more: since 2017, an American law sanctions anyone carrying out transactions with the Russian intelligence or defense sectors.

Russia, the world's second largest arms seller behind the United States, has thus lost ground in Southeast Asia, a region that has hitherto been in high demand for Russian products at much more affordable prices.

Moscow had seen its arms exports slow from 2014 and the annexation of Crimea.

Today, some Asian countries could be penalized, such as Vietnam, whose military equipment comes 80% from Russia. 

In turn, this turnaround in the Philippines could benefit the United States, Manila's historic ally.

And precisely, the Philippine ambassador in Washington announced that the White House had already proposed American helicopters as a replacement. 

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