Strapped Russians Not Buying Warplanes

The Russian air force did not buy any new combat planes in 1996, further evidence of the dwindling funds available to the military, a Russian news agency reported Tuesday.

In addition, only 53 percent of military aircraft are currently in full working order, down 10 percent from the previous year, the Interfax news agency reported, citing a high-ranking air force source.

In the 1980s, the air force received 400 to 500 new aircraft annually, but the figure fell to a few dozen a year after the 1991 Soviet breakup and to zero this year, Interfax quoted the source as saying.