"Kazakhstan Ministry of Defense has responded to the allegations that 834 Otokar ARMA Armored Combat Vehicles worth 4.5 billion dollars will be procured.
In the past days, Kazakh media Orda claimed that "Kazakhstan signed an agreement for the supply of 834 ARMA Armored Combat Vehicles worth 4.5 billion dollars". The Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan denied the news that Orda based on a Kazakh defense industry sector professional."
Kazakistan Savunma Bakanlığı, 4.4 milyar dolar tutarında 834 adet Otokar ARMA Zırhlı Muharebe Aracı tedarik edileceğine yönelik iddiaları yanıtladı.
www.savunmasanayist.com
Yup, still thinking the same.
Not so sure about the news tho. Apart from the language, when Paramount Group is involved, I don't think they are too above of using op-ed hit pieces. This might just be fluff to change public opinion.
To give credit where it's due, Orda.kz piece did not say "signed" but "is soon to be signed."
It goes on to say that the pilot testing is continuing to finalize the equipment selection, which makes me to believe that they basically started the tender from scratch after the all the stuff about Paramount came about a year or two back.
"Currently, 8×8 armored vehicles of this company, together with a sample of domestic armored vehicles, are undergoing pilot tests, the results of which will be used to determine a suitable sample of equipment according to technical requirements."