Russia has apparently signed a contract to sell combat jets to Syria in a show of support for President Bashar Assad's regime. The $550-million deal ensures the delivery of 36 Yak-130 aircraft. If confirmed, the deal would mark an open defiance of international efforts to put pressure on Assad's regime. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow doesn't consider it necessary to offer an explanation or excuses over suspicions that a Russian ship had delivered munitions to Syria despite an EU arms embargo. Russia has been a strong ally of Syria since Soviet times when the country was led by the president's father Hafez Assad. It has supplied Syria with aircraft, missiles, tanks and other modern weapons. The Yak-130 is a twin-engined combat trainer jet that can also be used to attack ground targets.