United States, Thailand, Russia
Global Gun Runner Plays US-Russia 'Cold War' Card to Escape Prison
Sydney Morning Herald
16 June 2008
The Cold War has broken out again, and Thailand suddenly finds itself caught uncomfortably in the middle of competing US and Russian interests. At the centre of the conflict is the alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was arrested on March 6 in Thailand and is in detention in Bangkok. The US wants Bout extradited to stand trial in New York, where he has faces charges of conspiracy to provide weapons to a foreign terrorist... ( gunpolicy.org )
World, United States, France, Canada, Germany, Angola, Thailand, Australia, Colombia, South Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Brazil, United Kingdom, India, China
Guns Around the World: Civilian Firearms per 100 People in 16 Nations
Economist
30 April 2008
An estimated 875m small arms are in circulation worldwide: one for every seven people on the planet. Nearly three-quarters of these are owned by civilians. And about 80% of those guns in civilian hands are found in just 30 countries, according to the Small Arms Survey, a research group. Although America accounts for 40% of firearms in civilian ownership, people put them to more deadly use elsewhere. The gun murder rate in Colombia... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, United States
Russia Jails US Pastor for Smuggling, Boarding Planes With Ammunition
CNN / AP
21 April 2008
MOSCOW, Russia -- A Moscow court on Monday sentenced a U.S. pastor to more than three years in prison for smuggling hunting ammunition into Russia. Phillip Miles, from South Carolina, has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 3. He was arrested several days after customs agents at a Moscow airport found a box of 20 rifle shells in his luggage. The court sentenced him to serve three years and two months in prison, with... ( gunpolicy.org )
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Former Soviet States Plan Database of Gun Runners, Illicit Arms Dealers
BBC Monitoring Service / Interfax, Transcript
11 April 2008
A joint CIS database of transnational criminal groups involved in illegal arms trafficking will be created, the press service of the Minsk-based CIS Executive Committee has told Interfax. "This is stipulated by a draft agreement on cooperation in combating the illegal manufacturing and sale of firearms, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices, which has been discussed by the committee's expert group," the press service said.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Slovakia, United States, Afghanistan, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary
Slovakia Sold Ammunition to Miami Gun Dealer, Pentagon for Afghan War
SME (Bratislava) / BBC Monitoring Service, Transcript
8 April 2008
Slovakia has traded in arms with the AEY company, which is being investigated over fraud in the United States. The daily New York Times found out that the company had been selling old Chinese ammunition from Albania to the Afghanis for decades, claiming that it was from Hungary. It purchased other weapons and munitions for the Afghanis in Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. It is not clear what exactly happened... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russian Priests Told to Carry Guns, Fight Armed Thieves of Religious Icons
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
19 March 2008
MOSCOW -- Police in a central Russian region have advised priests to apply for firearms licences so they can defend their churches from marauding thieves who have been stealing religious icons at gunpoint. But a cleric with the Russian Orthodox diocese of Kostroma said the guns would probably be wielded by church wardens because the biblical commandment "Thou shalt not kill" prohibited priests from bearing arms. Police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bulgaria
Shooting by Licensed Owner Prompts Bulgaria to Vow Tough New Gun Law
Xinhua
16 March 2008
SOFIA -- Changes in the law that regulates issuing permits for possession of firearms are urgently required, local press reported Saturday citing Bulgaria's Interior Minister Rumen Petkov. According to the minister, stricter rules are required, because 90 percent of the appeals against the Interior Ministry over rejections for arms permits are accepted by the court while permits are then issued. Petkov declared that in... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa, Thailand, Russia, United States, Africa, World
'Merchant of Death' Gun Runner's' Secret Connections in Southern Africa
Cape Argus (Capetown)
9 March 2008
An arrest at a luxury Thailand hotel has sent shockwaves rippling through various governmental, aviation and murky arms-trade, diamond-dealing and money-laundering circles from Johannesburg and Polokwane through to Kabul, Kinshasa, Ostend and Washington. Former Johannesburg resident Viktor Bout, the man dubbed the Merchant of Death and said to have inspired the blockbuster movie The Lord of War, was arrested on Thursday in a sting... ( gunpolicy.org )
Thailand, United States, Russia, World
Coalition of Forces, US Sting Toppled Global Gun Runner Bout in Thailand
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
7 March 2008
The elusive global gunrunner dubbed the Merchant of Death has finally been captured. Viktor Bout, originally from Russia, was arrested yesterday at a five-star hotel in Bangkok. Thought to be a former Russian spy, something he denies, he is said to speak six languages and hold as many passports. He has long been known to global intelligence services for dispatching transport aircraft brimming with weaponry to anyone willing to pay,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Thailand, United States, Russia, World
Russian Arms Dealer's Arrest Reflects Global Web of Gun Runners
Agence France Presse
7 March 2008
MOSCOW -- From factories in a breakaway zone of Moldova to underwater test sites in Kyrgyzstan, the ex-Soviet Union has provided rich pickings for arms dealers like the legendary Viktor Bout. Bout, who was arrested March 6 in a joint U.S.-Thai operation in Bangkok, is alleged to have been at the heart of a new kind of weapons trading that emerged from the ashes of the Cold War in 1991. Various reports have linked Bout to... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, Thailand, Colombia, World
US Charges Notorious Russian Arms Dealer With Gun Running to Colombia
New York Times
7 March 2008
WASHINGTON -- A Russian businessman regarded by the United States as one of the world's most notorious arms dealers was arrested in Thailand on Thursday as part of an American-led sting operation. He was promptly charged in the United States with conspiracy for trying to smuggle missiles and rocket launchers to rebels in Colombia. The businessman, Viktor Bout, 41, is suspected of supplying weapons to the Taliban and Al Qaeda and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, Thailand, Colombia, World
'Most-wanted' Global Gun Runner Arrested in Thailand: US Wants Viktor Bout
CNN
6 March 2008
NEW YORK -- For years, Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout made millions of dollars delivering weapons and ammunition to warlords and militants, officials say. On Thursday, Bout and his associate, Andrew Smulian, were arrested in Thailand after a series of events that officials said could have come straight out of a spy novel. The men's capture involved law enforcement agencies from at least five countries, including two undercover... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, Thailand, Colombia, World
Russian Gun Runner Dubbed 'Merchant of Death' Arrested in Bangkok Sting
Associated Press
6 March 2008
BANGKOK, Thailand -- A suspected Russian arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death" was arrested Thursday in Bangkok on allegations that he conspired to supply Colombian rebels with arms and explosives, Thai police said. Police Lt. Gen. Pongpat Chayapan said Viktor Bout was arrested in a hotel on a warrant from a Thai court following a monthlong manhunt. The warrant came out of an earlier one issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, Thailand, Colombia, World
Thais Arrest 'Merchant of Death' Russian Gun Runner, US Feds Lay Charges
Reuters
6 March 2008
BANGKOK/NEW YORK -- Viktor Bout, an international arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death," was arrested in Thailand and charged in New York on Thursday with trying to sell weapons to Colombian rebels, officials said. Bout, the target of U.S. sanctions, was charged with conspiring to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said in New York.... ( gunpolicy.org )
India, Russia
Kalashnikov Faces Tough Fight Rebuilding Gun Sales in India, World
Telegraph (Calcutta)
22 February 2008
NEW DELHI -- Mikhail Timofeyevich's terrible legacy spawned a culture that changed the face of war forever. But now the Avtomat Kalashnikov assault rifle that bears his surname is struggling to recreate a culture in which everything Russian was the preferred choice for the Indian armed forces. The makers of the Kalash, arguably the best-known name in small arms, were tucked away in a five-foot-by-five-foot prefab stall... ( gunpolicy.org )
India, Russia
India to Manufacture Kalashnikov Assault Rifles Under Licence to Russia
Times of India / TNN
19 February 2008
NEW DELHI -- With the 61st anniversary of the famed Kalashnikov AK-47 series around the corner, the Russian manufacturer of the world's best-known assault rifle announced that the latest AK-100 series will be manufactured in India. The Russian arms company, Izhmash, will shortly issue a licence to an Indian private arms manufacturer with whom negotiations are at an advanced stage. Company spokesperson Alexander Xavarzin said assembling... ( gunpolicy.org )
India, Russia
Kalashnikov Assault Rifles May Be Made in India, Under Licence to Russia
Daily News & Analysis (Mumbai)
19 February 2008
NEW DELHI -- The legendary Assault rifle Kalashnikov (AK) is set to make a 'legal' entry into India. The Russian firm making the AK rifles, Izhmash, is in advanced talks with a reputed Indian industry group to start manufacture in India of the latest AK-100 series. This is the lighter, though deadlier version of the assault rifle born a few months after World War II ended. "We are carrying on negotiations with one major... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, India
Russia to Showcase New Assault Weapons, Handguns at Indian Arms Fair
RIA Novosti (Russia)
11 February 2008
MOSCOW -- Russia plans to showcase its range of new small arms and light weapons (SALW) at an International arms exhibition in India, defense industry officials said on Monday. The Defexpo India-2008 exhibition and conference is due to take place at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi February 16 through 19. State-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said it would showcase advanced Kalashnikov AK-101, AK-102 (5.56 mm), AK-103 and AK-104... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Gun Laws, Firearm Ownership, Licensing and Armed Self Defence in Russia
Moscow News Weekly
31 January 2008
Life in Moscow can be as dangerous as in any large city -- and while street crime may be not as rife as in Rio, Moscow remains far from Oslo in terms of security. Russian law allows citizens and residents to defend themselves from aggressors, while shops in the capital offer a wide range of means of self-defense. For those interested in defending themselves, the legal limits and guidelines on purchasing weapons may look daunting. While other... ( gunpolicy.org )
Czech Republic
Hunter Turns Up Drunk at Czech Police Station to Collect Seized Gun
Prague Daily Monitor / CTK
18 December 2007
BRNO -- A local huntsman whose gun was seized by police before a recent hunt when they detected 0.3 per thousand alcohol in his blood, surprised the officers Monday when he turned up at the police station to pick his gun -- in a completely blind-drunk state. "It was enough for him to open his mouth and greet us, and the officers immediately grasped the breathalyser. His breath smelled of alcohol again Monday," the police spokesman... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine, Europe
Ukraine Destroys 17,000 Guns with Assistance from European Union
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring / UNIAN (Kiev)
14 December 2007
Ukraine has destroyed 17,000 pieces of light weaponry with EU assistance. A total of 27,700 guns are planned be destroyed. This has been reported in the fourth EU report on the implementation of the EU strategy to combat the threats associated with the illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons [SALW] and their ammunition, adopted by the European Council. According to the document obtained by UNIAN,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bulgaria
Bulgaria Moves to Ban Automatic Firearms, Tighten Gun Controls
Sofia Echo (Bulgaria) / BTA
8 November 2007
The Acquisition, ownership, carrying and use of automatic firearms would be forbidden under changes in the Law on Explosive Substances, Firearms and Ammunition, discussed for second reading in Parliament on November 8 2007. In exceptional cases, the use of firearms could be allowed under a special permit by the Interior Minster, Bulgarian News Agency BTA reported. Exceptions would be allowed for guards of high-risk objects,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Europe, Czech Republic
UK Police Want Europe to Ban Sales of Handguns Smuggled to Britain
BBC News
7 November 2007
Police are calling for sweeping changes to European gun laws. The Greater Manchester force says half of the weapons its officers have seized this year can be bought easily over the counter, and without a licence in many countries. The BBC's Ten O'Clock News went undercover in Prague to find out how easy it is to obtain a weapon. We went to the Czech capital to find out if we could buy a gun and found it shockingly... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Lithuania, Russia
Russian Baikal Starter Pistols Converted in Lithuania, Sold to UK Criminals
Independent (UK)
21 October 2007
The name Andrius Rauba means nothing to the urban drug gangs whose turf wars have left 53 children and teenagers dead in the UK this year, at least 10 of whom have been shot. And yet, from thousands of miles away, he was a vital link in the chain that very probably led to those tragedies. Ballistics experts working to establish which guns took the lives of two more teenagers on Britain's streets this week will be not be surprised... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa, Eastern Europe
Nigeria Fingers Russia, Eastern Europe for Illicit Gun Trade to West Africa
This Day (Lagos)
12 October 2007
ABUJA -- The Federal Government has traced the proliferation of illegal arms in the troubled Niger Delta to some countries in the Eastern bloc. This, according to government, has made security control and conflict resolution in the area a lot more challenging. The problem in the oil rich Niger Delta has become more intractable with the advent of militant groups taking foreign nationals working in the area hostage every... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, World
Kremlin, Pentagon, Others Turn Blind Eye to Notorious Global Gun Runners
Washington Post
23 September 2007
Immediately after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush declared that the rest of the world had to decide whether it was with us or against us. But it turns out that in the new world order, you can be both -- and make a boatload of money in the process. Take Viktor Bout, a Russian air-transport magnate and the world's premier gray-market arms provider. Every year, warlords, gangsters, militiamen and terrorists... ( gunpolicy.org )
Africa, Russia, World
Viktor Bout, 'Merchant of Death' and Global Gun Runner, Still Making Deals
BBC News, Book review
17 September 2007
The name Victor Bout first came on my radar in the late 1990s when, in my job as a BBC reporter in Africa, I found myself spending an inordinate amount of time with soldiers. The region had more than its share of wars and armed men. I spent time with scruffy rebels in the Guinean bush and smart Indian UN peacekeepers; I sought out a United Nations commander at a golf club in Liberia one Sunday morning and met a Nigerian... ( gunpolicy.org )
World, United States, Russia
Russia, US Protect Global Gun Runner Viktor Bout, Real-Life 'Lord Of War'
Mother Jones (USA)
13 September 2007
Journalist Douglas Farah, co-author of a new book on Viktor Bout, tells how the Tajik-born arms dealer forged a lucrative career skirting U.N. embargoes to sell weapons and air transport services to warlords and despots -- not to mention the U.S. military and its contractors in Iraq. Former Soviet military officer Viktor Bout, the inspiration for Nicholas Cage's character in the Lord of War, remade himself as an international arms... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, World
Merchant of Death: Global Gun Runner Viktor Bout Makes War Possible
News Tribune (Washington), Book review
26 August 2007
Merchant of Death: Money, Guns, Planes and the Man Who Makes War Possible By Douglas Farah and Stephen Braun Wiley, 308 pages, $25.95 Viktor Bout was a wanted man. An international arrest warrant had been issued. Western intelligence agencies investigated him. The U.S. Treasury Department seized his fleet of cargo jets and froze other assets. An executive order banned business dealings with him. And while worldwide... ( gunpolicy.org )
Venezuela, Russia
Venezuela to Purchase Thousands of Russian Dragunov Sniper Rifles
New York Times
16 August 2007
MOSCOW -- A proposed contract between Russia and Venezuela that could transfer thousands of sniper rifles to Venezuela has raised concerns in the United States about the potential use or regional distribution of the weapons by the socialist-inspired government of President Hugo Chavez. The rifle in question is the latest variant of the Dragunov, a long-barreled, semi-automatic design with a telescopic sight. It is derived in part... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, Venezuela
Russia to Build 2 Kalashnikov Assault Rifle, Ammo Factories in Venezuela
RIA Novosti (Russia)
6 August 2007
IZHEVSK, Urals -- Russia will build two factories for production of the famous Kalashnikov assault rifle and ammunition in Venezuela by 2010, a Russian arms manufacturer said Monday. The Urals-based Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (IMP) earlier fulfilled a contract to supply 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles to Venezuela, and signed a new contract licensing production of Kalashnikov rifles in the Latin American country. "We will begin... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, United States, World
Russia Celebrates AK47's 60th, But Others Profit from 'Illegal' US Gun Trade
New York Times
15 July 2007
MOSCOW -- The automatic Kalashnikov, the world's most abundant firearm and a martial symbol with a multiplicity of meanings, turns 60 this year. In some places this is cause to shudder. In Russia it is treated as a milestone to celebrate, and a chance to cry foul. Once strictly Communist products, the AK-47 and its offspring are killing tools so durable and easy to use that they were heralded as achievements of state socialism and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Czech Republic, Austria
Illegal Czech Gun Factory Rebuilt Machine Guns for Smuggling to Austria
United Press International
23 March 2007
Czech and Austrian police have arrested 12 alleged members of a suspected international arms smuggling ring, Prague Radio said Friday. Nine Austrians and three Czechs had their caches of weapons outside the southern Czech town of Znojmo, close to the border with Austria, police charge. The smugglers were making decommissioned machine guns usable again and transferred the weapons across the border to Austria for sale, police... ( gunpolicy.org )
Moldova, Iraq, Russia, Middle East
Former KGB Smuggles Russian Guns from Transnistria, Moldova to Iraq
CBN News, Transcript
22 March 2007
It's an all-too-familiar scene -- Islamic insurgents attacking U.S. troops near Baghdad. But where are these radicals getting their support to take on the American military machine? While much of the world blames Iran and Syria, evidence points to help coming from thousands of miles away. Ariel Cohen of the Heritage Foundation said, "Of course, we see a large number of small weapons turning up in Iraq in the hands of Hezbollah,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russia Slams Former Allies as 'Weapon Pirates' for Illegally Copying Guns
Nezavisimaya Gazeta / RIA Novosti (Russia)
19 March 2007
The intellectual piracy of Russian military technologies in some eastern European countries is damaging the Russian economy, Sergei Ivanov, the first deputy prime minister and former defense minister, said at a recent meeting of the export-control commission. It was the first time a high-ranking Russian official has made such an accusation, although the fact itself is nothing new, Alexander Sharavin, director of the Institute for... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bulgaria, Syria, Singapore
Singapore 'CIA Agent' Brokered Bulgaria-Syria Gun Sale, Got 1.5yrs in Jail
Straits Times (Singapore)
17 March 2007
A man sentenced to 1½ years in jail last year for brokering an illegal arms deal lost his appeal in the High Court yesterday. B. R. Chaandrran, 46, was found guilty by a district judge last October of plotting with another Singaporean, Colin Mak, 30, to arrange a contract to acquire 20,000 AKMS rifles from Bulgaria worth US$3.4 million (S$5.2 million), even though he had 'reason to believe' that the weapons were likely to end up... ( gunpolicy.org )
Czech Republic, Slovakia
Czech Arms Trader Accused of Illegal Gun, Ammunition Sales to Slovakia
CTK News Agency (Prague) / BBC Monitoring
9 March 2007
PRAGUE -- Czech police accused arms trader Petr Bernatik, owner of the Technoex company, of illegal sale of machine guns and ammunition to Slovakia, the daily Hospodarske Noviny writes today. The case points to bad regulations concerning arms exports. The Czech laws allows for various interpretations and a number of exceptions, the paper writes. A Czech court recently acquitted representatives of another arms trader, the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Illegal Gun Manufacturers, Suppliers Arrested in Southern Russia
Interfax (Moscow) / BBC Monitoring
5 March 2007
MOSCOW -- The operation of a criminal group in North Ossetia involved in the production and supply of weapons for militants in the North Caucasus has been curtailed, and six people have been arrested. "On 26 February in the territory of the Republic of North Ossetia (Alania) the operations of a clandestine criminal group involved in organizing a channel for the production and sale of illegal firearms, ammunitions and explosives... ( gunpolicy.org )
Czech Republic, Afghanistan
Czech Government Approves Donation of 20,000 Guns to Afghanistan
CTK news (Prague) / BBC Monitoring
21 February 2007
PRAGUE -- The Czech government today approved the plan to donate 20,000 automatic rifles and 650 machine guns worth 30 million crowns to Afghanistan. The Defence Ministry said the arms were redundant and that they would contribute to the international efforts to achieve security and improve democracy in the region. In early March, the Czech government is to decide on the donation of 12 transport and combat helicopters to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Hungary, Serbia
Guns, Ammo Seized from 'Ant Trade' Driver at Serbo-Hungarian Border
Hungarian News Agency / MTI
19 February 2007
BUDAPEST -- Customs officials seized several pistols and a large amount of cartridges from a Dutch driver at the Tompa border crossing with Serbia, a Customs and Excise Office (VPOP) spokesman told MTI on Sunday. The ten Parabellum, Zastava, Smith, Beretta, Colt, Magnum and Wesson brand firearms and 100 pieces of cartridge were found hidden inside the backrest one of the front seats in the car, which sought entry to Hungary... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russia's Izhevsk AK-47 Museum: Homage to the Gun That Won the East
New York Times
18 February 2007
Valentin Yakovlev stood quietly, almost solemnly, before the assault rifles, all of them tidily arranged behind glass. It was a cold morning in Izhevsk, a city in the Ural Mountains, and Mr. Yakovlev, who as a small child survived the siege of Leningrad and is now a pensioner from a former Soviet arms plant, had beaten the crowds to pay homage to an almost ubiquitous accompaniment to modern war. He made the rounds alone, gun by... ( gunpolicy.org )
Malta, Iraq, Italy, Libya, China, Russia
Maltese Company, Libya, China Accused of Gun Running to Iraqi Insurgents
Independent (Malta)
15 February 2007
Italian authorities yesterday announced they had interrupted an international arms trafficking deal that was to have operated between China, Malta, Italy and Libya, and which planned to supply hundreds of thousands of weapons to Iraqi insurgents, international media reported yesterday. The operation was to have seen an unnamed Maltese company acting as a middleman between Chinese weapons producers and Libyan buyers, who would, in... ( gunpolicy.org )
Hungary
Hungarian Health Ministry Wants to Tighten Gun Permits
CaboodleNews (Hungary)
29 January 2007
The health ministry is planning to amend the law on carrying firearms: Everyone who keeps a gun at home would have to undergo psychological examinations at regular intervals. The planned amendments have been submitted to the authorities. According to hirtv.hu, individuals under 40 would have to repeat the examination every five years, those between 40 and 60 every four years, while those over 70 once every year. Hungarian... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
3 Killed as Russian Policeman Battles Own Family With Gun, Grenades
MosNews (Moscow)
23 January 2007
A Russian policeman used a gun and grenades against own family killing his wife and daughter before being shot dead by his son-in-law, the Interfax news agency reported on Monday. The incident took place in a private house in the city of Makhachkala, in the South Russian internal republic of Dagestan. After a row with his wife, a local policemen threw two hand grenades in the room where his family members were and then opened fire... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia, Bulgaria, United States
Macedonia Sold US-Donated Guns Illegally to Bulgaria - Defence Minister
BBC Monitoring Service / HINA / Vreme (Skopje)
27 December 2006
Macedonia has illegally sold weapons to Bulgaria, but the investigation into the case is difficult because the Macedonian Defence Ministry still does not have the original documents on the weapons under investigation, Defence Minister Lazar Elenovski said on Wednesday [27 December]. Although the ministry lacks the original documents, it is certain that the weapons were part of a US donation that should not have been sold to any... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia, Bulgaria
Macedonian Premier Urges Swift Resolution to Bulgaria Gun Running Inquiry
BBC Monitoring Service / MIA (Skopje)
18 December 2006
Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski held Monday [18 December] a coordination meeting with Interior and Defence Ministers Gordana Jankulovska and Lazar Elenovski [respectively], focused on details regarding the latest occurrences related to the case of revealed firearms transport, reads government press release. PM Gruevski asked for swift resolution to the case and determination of responsibility of all individuals involved, because... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia, Bulgaria
Macedonia Announces Inquiry Into Truckloads of Seized NATO Guns
BBC Monitoring Service / MIA
17 December 2006
The court decision will provide final evaluation of what exactly happened three days ago [14 December] when the police seized firearms, stated late Saturday [16 December] Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska after the meeting with Defence Minister Lazar Elenovski. According to Jankulovska, currently there are doubts whether it has been a disorganized transport of firearms, but the court trial is to determine what exactly happened.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia, Bulgaria
Arrests, 3 Trucks of NATO Guns Suggest Macedonia-Bulgaria Gun Running
SEESAC (Belgrade) / Focus
16 December 2006
The case about three Bulgarian trucks transporting Macedonian weapons, which were seized in Skopje, is getting more and more complicated. Yesterday it was reported that the police stopped to check the trucks because they travelled without being escorted and without having the necessary documents. The Ministry of Defense announced that the weapons were old and would be exchanged for equipment, which is necessary to the Macedonian army. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
Macedonia, Bulgaria
Four Bulgarians Arrested for Smuggling NATO Guns in Macedonia
SEESAC (Belgrade) / AP
16 December 2006
Police seized three trucks loaded with weapons and arrested four Bulgarian men on smuggling charges, authorities said Saturday. The four suspects -- aged between 26 to 48 -- were taken into custody late Thursday after police searched the unescorted trucks with Bulgarian license plates on a highway near the capital, Skopje. They found 300 new German-made MG-3 machine guns and 33 M-43 mine-throwers. Police did not disclose... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, United States, United Kingdom, World
Viktor Bout, Russian Agents and the London Gun Trafficking Connection
Evening Standard (London)
6 December 2006
Two London companies are being investigated over an international arms-smuggling racket linked to the Russian intelligence agency at the centre of the radiation assassination mystery. US investigators have accused the firms of helping Russian arms dealers obtain equipment that paramilitaries could use around the globe. According to US court documents obtained by the Evening Standard, the firms -- one with an address in... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, World
Russia Urges Crackdown on Unlicensed Gun Producers Pirating AK-47s
RIA Novosti (Russia)
5 December 2006
MOSCOW -- Russia intends to step up its efforts to prevent illegal production and sales of Russian arms abroad, a senior Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday. Russia says it suffers major losses from the counterfeit manufacture of Kalashnikov assault rifles in Bulgaria. The armies of 47 countries use the AK-47 assault rifle, known as the Kalashnikov after its designer, Mikhail Kalashnikov. About 100 million AK-47s and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Venezuela, Russia
US/NATO Ban Forced Venezuela to Buy Russian Guns, Says Chavez
Itar-Tass (Moscow)
1 December 2006
CARACAS -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Thursday denied accusations that purchases of Russian weapons fan up arms race in the region and said they are intended exclusively for defense. He also recalled that Venezuela began to buy Russian armaments after the United States imposed an arms embargo on Caracas in May under the pretext of insufficient cooperation in the fight against terrorism. "The purchases are intended exclusively... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russian Police Seized 400,000 Units of Guns, Ammunition in 10 Months
RIA Novosti (Russia)
28 November 2006
MOSCOW -- Police seized more than 400,000 units of weaponry and ammunition in Russia during the first ten months of 2006, a senior police official said Tuesday. The bulk of illegal arms and ammunition comes from military conflict zones, especially in the North Caucasus, and as a result of theft at various weapon manufacturing facilities throughout Russia. "According to some estimates, [Russian] citizens illegally possess... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, World
Kalashnikov AK-47: The Weapon That Changed the Face of War
Washington Post
26 November 2006
In the grand narrative of World War II, the Battle of Bryansk is a minor conflict, barely deserving of a footnote. But Bryansk has another place in history. It was there that a then-unknown tank commander named Mikhail Kalashnikov decided that his Russian comrades would never again be defeated. In the years following the Great Patriotic War, as Soviet propagandists dubbed it, he was to conceive and fabricate a weapon so simple, and yet so... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, World
Pennsylvania Gun Store Raid Probes Illegal Sales to Viktor Bout in Moscow
Los Angeles Times
24 November 2006
WASHINGTON -- A sporting goods store in a small northern Pennsylvania town is the unlikely focus of a federal investigation into the suspected reemergence of the global arms transport network controlled by Russian businessman Victor Bout. Federal officials said this week that a recent search of the store near Wilkes-Barre, Pa., sought to learn whether a Bulgarian firm in Bout's business empire was being used to purchase restricted... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
AK-47 in the Classroom: Russian High School Students Learn ABCs of War
Moscow Times
15 November 2006
Clack clack clack. Polished nails run over tiny pins and latches. Suddenly, the deadly Kalashnikov rifle is deadly no more, its stock and barrel and sundry springs strewn across a spotless tablecloth. "Good, take your seat," the instructor said, and the 15-year-old female student sporting a simple dark uniform sat down, surrounded by her peers. Training for underage guerrillas? No. Just a recent lesson from the Basics of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, United States, China, World
Russia Tops US, Europe, China in Gun Trade to Developing World
National Post (Toronto) / CanWest
6 November 2006
UNITED NATIONS -- Ask anyone to guess who's the biggest arms supplier to developing countries and chances are the answer will be the United States -- the world's biggest arms trader. But the latest figures on new arms deals show Russia is now the biggest peddler of weapons to what used to be called the Third World, and the United States comes in third behind France. In fact, when it comes to sub-Saharan Africa, host to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (DRC), Russia
Russian Gun Runner Viktor Bout Denies Trafficking Arms to Congo
Moscow News
4 November 2006
Russian businessman Viktor Bout denied Wednesday a U.S. accusation that he was involved in weapons deliveries to the Democratic Republic of Congo, RIA Novosti reported. On Tuesday, U.S President George Bush issued an executive order blocking the assets of seven individuals, including general Laurent Nkunda and Russian businessman Viktor Bout, Reuters reported. The said individuals are being accused of impeding disarmament activities,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Romania, Croatia
Guns a Threat: Regional Parliamentary Seminar for South Eastern Europe
Danas Daily (Belgrade)
3 November 2006
BELGRADE -- Over half a million people a year die from gun violence, said yesterday Rastislav Vrbensky, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Serbia at the opening of the Regional Parliamentary Seminar on Small Arms and Light Weapons. He pointed at the danger of ammunition surpluses and recalled a recent ammunition explosion in Paracin. The ammunition surplus, said Vrbensky, can be diverted from military stockpiles into zones of instability... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Romania, Croatia
Meeting of Balkan Nations Agrees on Plan to Combat Gun Violence
Vecernje Novosti (Belgrade)
2 November 2006
There are at least five hundred million rifles, pistols and other SALW [small arms and light weapons] in circulation in the world and they kill approximately 500,000 people per year in armed conflicts and criminal activities. These statistics were released yesterday at the Regional Seminar on Small Arms and Light Weapons for the Parliamentarians of Western Balkans, held yesterday at the Belgrade hotel Hyatt Regency. The speakers... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia, World
Bout, Merchant of Death: Global Gun Runner Exploits Cracks in Globalization
Foreign Policy (US) November/December
1 November 2006
In many ways, Viktor Bout is a prototypical, modern-day, multinational entrepreneur. He is smart, savvy, and ambitious. He's good with numbers, speaks several languages, and knows how to seize opportunities when they arise. According to those who've met him, he's polite, professional, and unassuming. Bout has no known history of violence, and no political agenda. He loves his family. He's fed the poor. And through his hard work,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine
Ukraine Defence Ministry to Destroy 26,000 Tons of Ammunition
ForUm (Kiev)
30 October 2006
The Defense Ministry plans to destroy 26,000 tons of ammunition this year and 14,600 tons have already been destroyed, Defense Minister Anatoly Hrytsenko told the press. According to him, 740,000 tons out of the 1.4 million tons of ammunition belonging to the Armed Forces are surplus and subject to destruction. There are a total of 35 arsenals and bases of strategic importance on Ukrainian territory, the minister said.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russia Plans to Tighten Gun Trade Export Controls
Gazeta (Russia) / Ria Novosti
12 October 2006
The Russian government is toughening its controls over the export of light weapons and small firearms. Russian officials, who may require customers to report on the status of the weapons, will also have the right to conduct on-site inspections. Experts said the decision was motivated by Israel's complaints about the sale of Russian anti-tank guided missiles by Syria to the radical Hizbollah movement in Lebanon. New export-control... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, Bulgaria
Russia Accuses Bulgaria Over Illegal Kalashnikov Assault Rifle Sales
RIA Novosti (Russia)
26 September 2006
ZELENOGRAD -- Russia suffers major losses from the counterfeit manufacture of Kalashnikov assault rifles in Bulgaria, the defense minister said Tuesday. The armies of 47 countries use the AK-47 assault rifle, known as the Kalashnikov after designer Mikhail Kalashnikov. About 100 million AK-47s and modifications are believed to circulate around the world, but many of them are produced illegally. "Russia loses billions of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Moldova, Russia
Moldova's Ex-defence Minister Charged With Gun Smuggling
RIA Novosti (Russia)
15 September 2006
CHISINAU -- Valery Pasat, Moldova's former defense minister and head of the country's information and security service, has been accused again of weapons smuggling, the Prosecutor General's Office said Friday. The new charges were brought against Pasat after 14 bullets, a pistol and a revolver were found in his apartment. The Prosecutor General's Office said the investigation shows the pistol was presented to Pasat by a... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine
Expert Questions Ukraine's Ability to Dispose of 1.4m Tonnes of Ammunition
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring Service / Defense Express Website, Transcript
30 August 2006
Ukraine will be able to dispose of excessive ammunition and explosives on its own only by 2020, the head of the research programme of the Centre for Army Conversion and Disarmament Studies, Serhiy Zhurets, has said. He quoted the Defence Ministry as saying that Ukraine needs to dispose of 1.4m tonnes of ammunition, but in practice all of the enterprises of the Industrial Policy Ministry and the Defence Ministry can dispose of 50,000... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cyprus, Russia
Cyprus the World's 3rd Largest Trader in Guns, Says Small Arms Survey
Cyprus Mail (Nicosia)
29 August 2006
It's 5PM: I'm in a pub on "the strip" in Limassol. It's a jolly place, Arsenal memorabilia adorns the walls, pound a pint lager is being readily consumed, pretty Ukranian waitresses are serving roast beef and carrots to holiday makers and residents alike. Utd are taking on Watford: there's support for both sides and a pleasant hubbub of noise provides background cover for the usual football banter. Behind me, a 35-year-old English... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Foreign Handgun Imports to Russia Push Out Veteran Makarov Pistol
RIA Novosti (Russia), Opinion
16 August 2006
MOSCOW -- News that Russia's Interior Ministry has decided to use some foreign small arms, including Glock, Walther, and Heckler & Koch pistols, has been unpleasant for Russian designers. "Why?" they say, "Our police generals are acting like boys. They have seen too many Hollywood thrillers and spend public money on foreign toys. Our pistols are in no way worse. Some of the foreign makes don't hold a candle to them." That... ( gunpolicy.org )
Venezuela, Russia
Venezuelan President Admires AK-47 Plant in Russia, Tips New Arms Deal
Kommersant (Russia)
27 July 2006
During his three-day tour to Russia, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez went to the country's world-known armory center, Izhevsk (Udmurtia). In Izhevsk, Chavez announced the intention to rearm Venezuelan army with the help of Moscow and lashed out at the United States, contrasting it with Russia. The Bush administration that is attentively eyeing the visit called on Moscow not to sell the innovative weapons to Caracas, including Su-30... ( gunpolicy.org )
Venezuela, Russia
Venezuelan President Tours Russian AK-47 Factory, Plans to Build One
RIA Novosti (Russia)
26 July 2006
MOSCOW -- Venezuela's president arrived in one of Russia's leading defense-industry cities Wednesday morning to tour the home plant of the Kalashnikov assault rifle and meet the regional leadership, a spokesman for the local authorities said. Hugo Chavez touched down in Izhevsk, the capital of the Republic of Udmurtia about 700 miles east of Moscow, and will meet with regional leader Alexander Volkov and gun-maker Mikhail Kalashnikov... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russian Gun Designer Kalashnikov Urges Tough Control Over Gun Trade
Mos News (Moscow)
29 June 2006
The famous Russian gun designer Mikhail Kalashnikov has called for tougher control over the small arms turnover to rule out uncontrolled weapons sales, Interfax news agency reports. "Tough procedure for registering and marking each weapon, and mutual recognition of such markings and information exchanges will help to rein counterfeit products sales. I believe that it is a realistic, efficient, and inexpensive approach to solving... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, World
Kalashnikov Supports Curbs on Gun Trade, But Not on AK-47 Production
Deutsche Welle
28 June 2006
According to arms control campaigners, the Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle is the world's favorite killing machine, and it will remain so for at least 20 years. DW-WORLD.DE spoke to its inventor. Up to 100 million AK-47s and variations of its design are in circulation around the world, including in the state arsenal of at least 82 countries, according to a report published by the Control Arms Campaign on Monday. AK-47s... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, United Nations
Keep My Guns Under Lock and Key: AK-47 Inventor Promotes UN Treaty
Reuters
23 June 2006
Izhevsk, Russia -- Mikhail Kalashnikov, the man who gave his name to the world's most widely used assault rifle, wants action to stop fake versions of his weapon landing in the hands of child soldiers and militants. "There should be civilised laws preventing weapons from circulating freely around the world," Kalashnikov said on Friday. "Weapons should only be in the hands of those who are defending their state -- who defend... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, World
Mikhail Kalashnikov Backs UN Small Arms Conference Gun Trade Treaty
Times (UK)
20 June 2006
MOSCOW -- Hardly a day goes by without Mikhail Kalashnikov turning on his television set and seeing his lethal invention being brandished somewhere. It still makes him proud to see the Kalashnikov assault rifle, better known as the AK-47, in the hands of professional soldiers and national liberation movements. But now, aged 86, he laments that it has become the weapon of choice for terrorists, criminals and child soldiers -- and,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russia Pragmatic on Arms, But is Trade Healthy? - Features [Part 3 of 3]
Reuters, Series
19 June 2006
MOSCOW -- Missiles to Syria and Iran, warplanes to Venezuela and Myanmar, helicopters to Sudan -- Russia goes its own way when it comes to selling arms, seemingly immune to ethical debates that affect the industry elsewhere. While European Union members argue over whether to lift a weapons ban against China, almost half of Russia's $6 billion arms sales last year went to Beijing. As the White House struggles to persuade... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
At Least 194,000 Military Firearms Are Missing from Russian Armouries
Nezavisimaya Gazeta (Moscow)
14 June 2006
Criminal groups prefer Army weapons, Sergey Manakhov, deputy chief of the Russian MVD (Internal Affairs Ministry) Directorate for Control Over Investigation of Particularly Dangerous Crimes, declared to journalists. Information on those weapons is not listed in police files, they were not "spotted" in turf wars, and criminals can throw them out without fearing that the barrel will trace investigators back to their owner, Manakhov said. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Gun Maker Mikhail Kalashnikov Regrets His AK-47 Design
Associated Press
10 June 2006
Mikhail Kalashnikov says he designed the assault rifle that bears his name to fend off the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Six decades later, he laments its transformation into the worldwide weapon of choice for many terrorists and gangsters. "Whenever I look at TV and I see the weapon I invented to defend my motherland in the hands of these bin Ladens I ask myself the same question: How did it get into their hands'?"... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russia Pushing Ban on Illegal Production of Kalashnikov Rifles
RIA Novosti (Russia)
28 April 2006
MOSCOW -- Russia's state-controlled arms exporter will push to stop the illegal production and supplies of Kalashnikov assault rifles, a company spokesman said Friday. "Rosoboronexport is resolved to use all available legal means to press for an end to the illegal production and supplies of Kalashnikov automatic rifles," Valery Kartavtsev said, adding that Russian enterprises intended to file lawsuits against illegal producers.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, Iraq, World
Kalashnikov, Izhmash Claim a Billion AK-47s, Variants Worldwide
Reuters
17 April 2006
MOSCOW -- Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the world's most popular assault rifle, says that U.S. soldiers in Iraq are using his invention in preference to their own weapons, proving that his gun is still the best. "Even after lying in a swamp you can pick up this rifle, aim it and shoot. That's the best job description there is for a gun. Real soldiers know that and understand it," the 86-year-old gunmaker told a weekend news conference... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, World
90% of Kalashnikov Rifles on World Market Are Knock-offs, Says Izhmash
RIA Novosti (Russia)
16 April 2006
MOSCOW -- Russia accounts for only 10-12% of about 1 million Kalashnikov assault rifles that are sold on the world market every year, the CEO of the Izhmash concern (state-owned military production company) said Saturday. "The rest are unlicensed copies," Vladimir Grodetsky said, adding that there was not a single license agreement conforming to the norms of international law, specifically on the protection of Russia's intellectual... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Over 400,000 Small Arms Seized at Russian Airports Over Past 15 Years
Interfax-AVN (Agentstvo Voyennykh Novostey)
7 February 2006
MOSCOW -- The total of over 430,000 pieces of small arms and about two million rounds of ammunition were confiscated in airports of Russia since 1991 during passenger search, Vladimir Chertok, head of the federal transport security agency, said during the scientific conference organized within the framework of the Security Technologies international forum opened in Moscow Tuesday. "For 15 years over 1 million attempts were prevented... ( gunpolicy.org )
Czech Republic
Czech Gun Owners Often Lose Firearms to Thieves, Say Police
Ceske Noviny (Prague)
23 January 2006
PRAGUE -- Almost 311,000 people owned the gun licence at the end of last year, possessing about 622,000 weapons, the statistics from the police headquarters, published, said. The number of gun licences rose by 2300 and of firearms by almost 16,000. The highest number, over 230,000 Czechs, acquired the gun licence in order to protect their property and life. Huntsmen had 129,000, marksmen 124,000 and collectors 73,000 weapons.... ( gunpolicy.org )
Belarus
Belarus Bids Farewell to 19th-Century Small Arms
RIA Novosti
8 December 2005
MINSK -- The Belarusian Defense Ministry has finally decided to decommission some of its 19th-century small arms, the ministry said in a statement Thursday. "Analysis of small arms in service with [Belarusian] armed forces showed that certain types of weaponry have become outdated and their technical characteristics no longer satisfy modern requirements," the ministry said. "These weapons are no longer in production in manufacturer-countries... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine, Europe
Ukraine, NATO Strike Deal on Arms Disposal
RIA Novosti
23 November 2005
BRUSSELS -- Ukraine and NATO signed an agreement Wednesday to dispose of the former's unnecessary stockpiles of light weapons, small arms, shoulder-fired air defense systems, and ammunition. The document was signed by Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Tereshchenko and NATO Under-Secretary General Mario Bartolli. The Ukrainian government approved the agreement Friday, authorizing Tereshchenko to sign the agreement... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russia to Display Special Small Arms at Paris Security Exhibit
RIA Novosti
21 November 2005
Russia will display state-of-the-art small arms designed for anti-terrorism police units at the 14th international security exhibition MILIPOL PARIS 2005 that opens in the French capital Tuesday, Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Monday. "Russian enterprises will demonstrate more than a hundred models of special equipment, many of which have no counterparts in the world and will be displayed for the first time," the company's... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Massive Upsurge of Criminality Tipped as Guns Legalised
Pravda
31 October 2005
The question of making the market of fire arms accessible for Russian citizens has been a topic of numerous discussions in the government and media outlets of the country for years already. The State Duma, the Russian parliament, has returned to amendments to the federal law about weapons, which stipulate a certain extension of the list of civil defense weapons. According to the current version of the Russian law on weapons, citizens... ( gunpolicy.org )
Romania
Glock to Make 9mm Handguns in Romania: Arms Fair News
ACT Media News Agency (Romania)
14 October 2005
Arms companies from US, Japan, Israel, Turkey and fifteen European countries will participate in ExpoMil, the exhibition devoted to the arms industry, and along with the Romanian arms manufacturers, they aim to conclude partnerships with foreign investors, ACT Media news agency reports. The industry will undergo a major restructuring in the following years and there is need to find foreign partners willing to invest and to participate... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bulgaria, Spain, Italy
Bulgarian Arms Ring Smuggled Guns to Spain and Italy
SEESAC (Belgrade) / BBC Monitoring Service / BTA
17 August 2005
An illegal ring trafficking in arms from Bulgaria to Spain and Italy was eliminated in an operation in Stara Zagora on Tuesday [16 August] night by the National Service Combating Organized Crime (NSCOC) and the Regional Directorate of the Interior, Interior Ministry Chief Secretary Boyko Borisov said on Wednesday [17 August]. Four persons were arrested. Four illegal workshops were found in the Kazanluk region. Two of the suspects... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Five Million Russians Now Own Guns for Self Defence
RIA Novosti (Russia), Opinion
11 August 2005
MOSCOW -- When burglars killed a guard at my neighbor's summer-house, I started thinking about self-defense. The Federal Law On Weapons adopted under Boris Yeltsin in 1996 has enabled five million Russians to buy guns for this purpose. In Moscow alone, some 400,000 people legally keep 470,000 weapons to protect themselves, their families, and property against potential assault in these troubled times. The law in Russia... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Investigation: North Ossetia's Arms Bazaar
Institute for War & Peace Reporting
11 August 2005
VLADIKAVKAZ -- In the North Caucasus, illegal weapons are cheap and readily available. Sergei, a former soldier now resident in North Ossetia, gave IWPR a price list. He said that in Chechnya one can buy an automatic weapon, often captured from rebel fighters, for 200 US dollars. Outside Chechnya, Kalashnikov rifles cost 500 dollars. A grenade launcher can be found inside Chechnya for as little as 100 dollars, while outside the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, China
Russian Customs Thwarts Ammunition Smuggling Into China
RIA Novosti
10 August 2005
NOVOSIBIRSK -- The Trans-Baikal customs office in Siberia has foiled an attempt to smuggle small arms ammunition into China, its press office said Wednesday. The customs officers at the Zabaikalsk international automobile checkpoint found a cache of ammunition in a KAMAZ truck, loaded with metal scrap, heading for China. The stash included a 1943 machinegun belt with 79 armor-piercing 7.62 mm cartridges and almost 50 tracing... ( gunpolicy.org )
Romania
Romanian Weapons to Equip New Iraqi Armed Forces
BBC Monitoring Service, Rompres
8 August 2005
Romanian exports of military products amounted to 37.8m dollars in 2000, accounting for 0.36 per cent of overall Romanian exports and went up to 41.85m dollars in 2004, i.e. 0.22 per cent of overall exports, the president of the National Agency for Exports Control (ANCEX) said in an interview with Saptamana Financiara (The Financial Week) publication. Liliana Ghervasuc stressed that after 1990 the UN Security Council imposed several... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine, Europe
NATO to Help Ukraine Destroy Weapons and Ammunition
RIA Novosti (Russia)
4 August 2005
KIEV -- Ukraine and NATO have set up a trust fund to destroy weapons and ammunition, a representative of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The ten-year, 75-million-euro project provides for the destruction of 130,000 tons of ammunition and 1.5 billion of small arms, Vladimir Popovich said. He said the project will be implemented in three stages and special plants and technologies will be created in Ukraine... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Russia Seeks UN Support to Regain Leadership in Gun Making
Moscow Times
4 August 2005
Russia plans to call in the support of the United Nations in its battle to regain leadership of the small arms market, a Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday. In a move to tackle unlicensed manufacturing of arms including its best selling Kalashnikov assault rifle, Russia wants to have its intellectual property rights on small arms recognized under a UN initiative against illicit trade in small weapons. "We are against... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, World
Ill-Secured Soviet Arms Depots Tempting Rebels and Terrorists
New York Times
16 July 2005
ICHNYA, Ukraine -- The ammunition is stacked in mounds in a clearing, exposed to rain and sun. The crates that hold it are rotting. After more than a decade in the elements, many have ruptured, exposing high-explosive rockets and mortar fins. This is the overstuffed ammunition depot behind the security fences at Military Unit A1479, a small base in the Ukrainian forest under military guard. At least 5,700 tons of ammunition, grenades... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, Russia, Canada, World, Australia
Feature: G8 Nations and Australia's Global Gun Sales Detailed
Age (Melbourne)
7 July 2005
As George Bush, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin and the other G8 leaders discuss the world's problems at their luxurious Gleneagles hotel, Africa's death dealers are hawking their wares in open-air markets. In the Somali capital, Mogadishu, at least four gun markets operate where Russian made AK-47 assault rifles, American M-16s and German semi-automatics are sold for less than $250. Not far from the markets, mortars, missiles and anti-aircraft... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Europe, Japan, Canada, Russia, World
Arms for the Poor: G8 Gun Sales to Impoverished Countries
Age (Melbourne)
6 July 2005
UNITED STATES -- The dominant player in the international arms trade, delivering $205 billion of conventional weapons between 1996 and 2003. Though US law prevents exports to countries with human rights violations, America has recently equipped forces in Colombia, Israel, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The development agencies' report (see main story) said big and persistent concerns remained over the human... ( gunpolicy.org )
Bulgaria, Croatia
Bulgarian Busted in Croatia Smuggling 'Deadly Pens'
Sofia News Agency
24 June 2005
A 47-year old Bulgarian has been arrested by the Croatian border police after trying to smuggle from Sofia to Germany some 100 illegally produced "pen pistols" and munitions for the arms. The arms were found during a routine check of the bus the man was travelling with from Sofia to Dortmund. The arms and the munitions were in a package hidden under the clothes in his luggage. Zagreb's police claim that the man was to sell... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, Venezuela
Russia Signs 100,000-Kalashnikov Sale to Venezuela
RIA Novosti (Russia)
19 May 2005
RIO DE JANEIRO -- On Tuesday Venezuela and Russia signed an agreement on supplies of 100,000 Kalashnikov submachine-guns to that South-American country. The sum total of the transaction is $54 million. Russia undertook to supply to Venezuela, alongside weapons, also 2,000 handbooks, as well as spare parts and accessories for the AK submachine-guns. This transaction also provides for transferring technology of assembly of the submachine-guns... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia, Venezuela
Report: Russia, Venezuela Sign Gun Deal
Associated Press
18 May 2005
Russia and Venezuela signed a contract for 100,000 Russian assault rifles to be provided to the Latin American nation, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. The contract, signed on Tuesday by Venezuelan Defense Minister Jorge Garcia and Sergei Ladygin, the regional chief of Russia's state arms agency Rosoboronexport, provides for the AK-103 guns to be delivered between October and March, ITAR-Tass said. President Hugo Chavez's... ( gunpolicy.org )
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