UK companies continue to export arms to Russia

The UK is still allowing the export of millions of dollars worth of arms to Russia.

That's according to British members of parliament.

They say those arms export licences undermine the government's call for tough sanctions against Moscow over its arming of separatists in Ukraine - the same separatists the UK and US suspect of shooting down a Malaysian airlines passenger plane.

The MPs are concerned that the licences remain in place even though Prime Minister David Cameron has been urging Paris to scrap the sale of two French Mistral-class warships to Moscow.

But the government has defended its position.

It said the UK hasn't sold any arms to Russia's armed forces since March - although it admitted licences were still in place for what it described as "non-military legitimate reasons"

So what exactly are such reasons?

We discuss with Guy Andersen, chief analyst at the arms industry advisers - Jane's Defense, and Andrew Smith of the UK-based pressure group Campaign against Arms Trade.