Arms deal behind Zimbabwe, Russia platinum project

The involvement of Russian defence conglomerate Rostec State Corporation and its supervisory board chair Denis Manturov, also Kremlin minister of Trade and Industry in the Darwendale platinum project has reinforced reports of a secret arms deal hidden behind the arrangement.  

Rostec is Russia's biggest arms manufacturer. The Great Dyke Investment is between Pen East mining company and a Russian consortium.

Pen East is chaired by Colonel Tshinga Dube while ZMDC is a shareholder. The presence of Manturov in Harare raised eyebrows as to why he was directly involved in the platinum deal instead Minister of Natural Resources, Sergy Donskoy.

According to the latest Africa Confidential Report, Zimbabweis trading platinum deposits for Russia weapons.