MOSCOW, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Russia has signed a deal with Venezuela to sell 24 warplanes and 53 helicopters to the Latin American country, the Interfax news agency reported on Thursday.

    Russia and Venezuela have signed arms contracts for more than 3 billion U.S. dollars in the past 18 months, including supplying 24 warplanes and 53 combat helicopters to Venezuela, Sergei Chemezov, head of Russia's state arms-trading agency, Rosoboron export, was quoted as saying.

    Chemezov, who made the remarks on the sidelines of the meeting between President Vladimir Putin and visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, did not elaborate on what types of planes Russia will provide to Venezuela.

    Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said last week that Russia had struck a deal of 1 billion U.S. dollars with Venezuela to sell 30 Sukhoi-30 fighters and as many helicopters to the country.

    The United States has expressed concern over Russia's plan to sell fighter jets to the South American nation, but Russia defended its military cooperation with Venezuela on Wednesday, saying the cooperation is "in full accordance with international and Russian legal norms."

    Chavez, who is in town for a three-day visit, thanked Russia for the arms deal after talks with Putin in the Kremlin.

    "Russia has stretched out its hand to us in the face of international pressure, even an embargo on us in this field," Chavez said.

    The U.S. government has forbidden U.S. manufacturers to sell arms to Venezuela, accusing the country of not being "a reliable partner in the war on terror." Enditem

    

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (R) visits a arms factory in Russia July 26, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)