YEKATERINBURG (Sputnik) – Aleksey Zharich, deputy chief executive of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), told RIA Novosti that delegates from over 50 countries were expected in the city of Nizhny Tagil on September 9-12.
However, Zharich noted that US, British and certain French companies are "stepping away" from stands they reserved as far back as 2013.
"They are afraid of complaints from their countries’ leadership. They are not coming because they are told not to," he said.
The European Union’s Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) also extended its sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian individuals and legal entities, while the European Union is expected to follow suit later this month.
Zharich said that every US company that had committed to take part in RAE-2015 was now canceling its reservations.
"Of course there would have been more participants were it not for the sanctions, because they are prohibited from participating," the UVZ deputy CEO stressed.
"Many of them are coming here to see our and other Russian manufacturers’ equipment because the situation is very serious: Islamic State has advanced considerably over the past five years," he argued.
UVZ, the world's largest main battle tank manufacturer, is the general coordinator of the expo, which this year marks its 10th anniversary.
At least 10 countries, including South Korea, Italy, France and Turkey, will be exhibiting at RAE-2015.
