The Defense Department is canceling plans to buy additional cargo helicopters from a Russian arms export agency that has supplied Syrian President Bashar Assad’s military forces with arms and ammunition. 15 Russian-built Mi-17 helicopters were to be purchased next year at a cost of $345 million and then delivered to Afghanistan’s national security forces. DoD has paid Rosoboronexport more than $1 billion since 2011 for 63 Mi-17s that have been delivered to Afghanistan or are on order.

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