Egypt’s Sisi in Moscow for V-Day celebrations

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi landed in Moscow on Saturday to take part in celebrations marking 70 years since victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, local Egyptian media reported.

Russia will use the grandiose Red Square parade to show off a range of new weaponry and President Vladimir Putin has invited Sisi to attend the celebrations

The two presidents met in Moscow on the sidelines of the celebrations, while Sisi is also expected to meet with a number of Russian officials as part of his two-day trip, Ahram Online reported.

The Egyptian president first visited Russia in August 2014, while Putin made a trip to Cairo in February 2015.

Russia was Sisi’s first visit to a foreign country since he was sworn in as president in June after a landslide victory at the polls.

Last year, Russia jumped at the chance to grab a bigger share of the Egyptian arms market after the United States suspended some of its weapons deliveries last year in the wake of Sisi’s crackdown on the former Islamist government.

According to IHS Jane's Defense Weekly, some of the armored vehicles to go on show during Russia’s V-Day parade will "represent the biggest change in Russia's armored fighting vehicle families since the 1960s and 1970s."

The new weaponry comprises some of the latest generation battle tanks and artillery systems.

(With AFP)