Security & Strategic Review - May 2016 (ISSN 1741-4202)

NICARAGUA | Russian tanks. Last month the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) government led by President Daniel Ortega announced plans to purchase new Russian tanks. On 25 April national daily La Prensa cited military spokesperson Manuel Guevara Rocha as saying that the purchase was planned as part of efforts to overhaul the armed forces. Guevara did not provide further details but the same day Russia’s state-owned news agency, Sputnik, reported that Russia was preparing to hand over some 20 modernised T-72B1 tanks to Nicaragua as part of a deal inked last year regarding the provision of 50 tanks – the total cost of which is projected at US$80m.