Russia will buy 10 Lynx light multi-role armored vehicles (LMV) from Italy's Iveco, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Friday, December 03, 2010. He said Russia would like to set up a joint venture to assemble LMVs in Russia after the purchase.

Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa confirmed the country's readiness to transfer production technology for LMV manufacturing in Russia and their subsequent sales to CIS states, Serdyukov's press secretary Irina Kovalchuk said.

A Russian defense industry source said in August talks were underway on LMV assembly under license at the KamAZ automaker in Naberezhnye Chelny.

In mid-March the Russian Defense Ministry dismissed media reports that it was planning to purchase up to 1,000 Iveco M65 LMVs.

Italian LMVs have been used in Iraq, Afghanistan and other NATO missions abroad, where they have performed admirably.