Algeria was Russia's traditional arms client in Soviet times, but after the breakup it switched to Ukraine and Belarus mainly, buying Su-27s and MiG-29s. This contract will be Russia's triumphant return to North Africa.

They have generally 99 percent Soviet- and Russian-made equipment, and they have all necessary equipment to make effective damage to federal troops and to fight them during a long period of time: Land mines, small and light weapons, air-to-air missiles.

Ruslan Pukhov

There are lots of women working in the army, lots of construction troops, railway troops, you name it. And the combat troops, well-equipped and well-trained, there are less than 100,000.

Ruslan Pukhov