Russia to block sale of tanks to Pakistan

''Russia is not going to promote the growth of Pakistan's military potential in that region to the detriment of India," he said. Davyodv said Ukraine concluded the contract for the sale of 300 advanced T-80 Ud tanks to Pakistan in 1996 without consulting Russia. ''The project contradicts the ''state interests of our country,'' he said.

Kremlin said it will deny Ukraine vital components of the tank. Without the 125 mm gun for the tank, (which is manufactured only in Russia and capable of firing guided projectiles) and the guiding system, the tank will lose its attraction by half, Russian analysts said.

In accordance with the Kiev-Islamabad contract, the first batch of 15 tanks had already been shipped to Pakistan for which Ukraine has already received 70 million dollars. The analysts said the deal will upset the balance of power in the Indian subcontinent. The T-80 Ud tank (also known as T-84) is a state-of-the-art offensive armour, two generations ahead of Pakistan's existing T-62 tanks and one generation ahead of the Indian T-72.

What has irked Russia is Ukraine's bid to penetrate the world arms market with the T-80 Ud tanks, which are prominent on the price list of the Russian arms exports. The tank is described as ''the pride of the Russian weapon producers,'' the sources said.

The tanks are based on technology over which Moscow has monopoly. Describing the contract as "unsanctioned", Kremlin sources said Ukraine would find it tough to push the deal through without getting a constant supply of components from Russia.