Weapons in Russia

2024

In Bratsk, FSB officers detained a group of doctors accused of taking bribes for illegally issuing weapons permits. VIDEO

On October 8, 2024, it became known that in the city of Bratsk, Irkutsk Region, employees of the Federal Security Service of Russia, together with the police, stopped the activities of an organized criminal group consisting of employees of a medical institution. Doctors are suspected of taking bribes for illegally issuing weapons permits. Read more here

Russia has developed a planning aerial bomb "Drill," which radar does not see

On January 10, 2024, Rostec announced the timing of the start of mass production of the latest planning aircraft bomb Drill. It was developed by the scientific production association (NPO) "Basalt." Read more here.

2023

1% reduction in civilian arms sales to 200,000

At the end of 2023, the volume of the Russian civilian arms market amounted to about 200 thousand units, which is 1% less compared to 2022. Negative dynamics, formed in 2021, persists. Moreover, the fall is observed in all main segments: both in domestic production and in the field of export-import supplies. This is stated in the NeoAnalytics review, published in early August 2024.

The study considers the following types of civilian weapons: sports firearms with a rifled barrel and smoothbore, sports pneumatic with muzzle energy over 3 J, hunting long-barrel firearms with a rifled barrel and smoothbore (including with the length of the threaded part not more than 140 mm), hunting combined firearms (rifled and smoothbore) long-barreled, including with replaceable and inline rifled barrels, as well as service weapons. It is noted that sports pneumatic weapons with muzzle energy over 3 J are in the lead in the general structure of the Russian market: its share in 2023 amounted to 33.5% in total.

In 2023, about 40 thousand civilian weapons were imported to Russia. This is 42.4% less than the previous year. In value terms, even more significant negative dynamics was recorded: the volume of imports on an annualized basis decreased by 57.3%, amounting to about $9.6 million. In addition, as noted in the study, the structure of supplies in the context of importing countries has significantly changed.

Export supplies at the end of 2023 also decreased: the final result slightly exceeded 10 thousand units for a total amount of approximately $5.9 million. Thus, the products produced in Russia primarily go to the domestic market.^[1]

Reduction in arms imports by 70% to 17 thousand units

In 2023, about 17 thousand weapons were imported from abroad in Russia, which is 70% less than a year earlier (57 thousand units). This is evidenced by data that the analytical agency BusinesStat disclosed in mid-May 2024.

The study is about weapons for civilian use. This includes:

• smoothbore weapons;
• rifled weapons;
• pneumatic weapons;
• other weapons (gas, signal, traumatic).

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BusinesStat

Arms imports to Russia in 2023 decreased largely due to the fact that the supply of these products from Turkey decreased by 25 thousand pieces. Experts draw attention to the decrease in imports from Turkey to the Russian Federation of pneumatic weapons with muzzle energy over 3 J and the increase in the supply of pneumatics with muzzle energy up to 3 J, which, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, is not a weapon.

At the same time, according to experts, Turkish-made air rifles were supplied by manufacturers in a weakened version in 2023, after purchase they can be modernized, increasing muzzle energy. The amplification kit is often included in the factory package.

In addition, the weakening of the ruble exchange rate (this led to a new wave of rising prices), the strengthening of the US sanctions policy against Russia and the growing pressure on third countries regarding the supply of small arms to the Russian market had an adverse impact on arms imports to Russia.

In addition, in 2023, arms supplies from the EU to Russia fell by 12 thousand due to a package of sanctions involving a ban on the supply of civilian firearms, ammunition and spare parts for it to the Russian market. In fact, the supply of these products from the European Union to Russia stopped immediately after the start of the military special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine.^[2]

Rosgvardia creates GIS to control the circulation of weapons

On October 13, 2023, a bill was introduced in the State Duma on the creation of a state information system (GIS) in the areas of arms trafficking, private security activities and private security. Read more here.

How the Russian military uses 3D printing in the creation of ammunition

On August 3, 2023, it became known that the Russian military in the current geopolitical situation is actively using advanced technologies to constantly increase the effectiveness of military operations. This, in particular, is about using the 3D printing method to create ammunition for unmanned aerial vehicles. Read more here.

2022: Production of civilian weapons increased in Russia - by 1.9% to 200 thousand units

In 2022, more than 200 thousand civilian weapons were produced in Russia, which is 1.9% more than a year earlier. This is evidenced by data from NeoAnalytics analysts published in July 2023.

According to the study, sports pneumatic weapons with muzzle energy over 3 J with a production share of 45.6% for 2022 are leading in the structure of civilian weapons production. Domestic production prevails on the market, the share of which is estimated at 75-85%. This existing structure has been observed for several years in retrospect, experts say.

Production of civilian weapons has increased in Russia

The volume of imports of civilian weapons to Russia in physical terms increased in 2022 by 10.6%. In value terms, the volume of imports of products exceeded $20 million and increased over the year by 1.6%.

In 2022, such countries Turkey as with a share of 47.4% became the main importing countries of civilian weapons to Russia. In second place comes China with a share of 26.7% and closes the top three Italy with a share of imports of 24.5%.

In 2022, about 17 thousand units were exported from the Russian Federation. more than $400 million worth of civilian weapons. The share of export supplies remained insignificant and amounted to about 8%. Accordingly, a significant part of the output goes to domestic consumption.

Analysts distinguish three main types of civilian weapons:

• smoothbore weapons. It is one of the most common types of civilian weapons used for hunting, poster shooting and in security structures;
• rifled weapons. It is used for hunting, as well as for sports bullet shooting. This type includes weapons having helical rifling in the bore;
• pneumatic weapons are a type of small arms in which a projectile flies out under the influence of pressurized gas.^[3]

2020: Russians become less likely to own weapons

In Russia, every year there are fewer owners of civilian weapons. Such data were shared by experts at a press conference dedicated to the 17th Moscow International Exhibition Arms & Hunting - 2020 (this year the exhibition changes location for the first time and will be held at VDNH^[4].

As Oleg Chikirev, vice president for foreign economic activity of the Union of Russian Gunsmiths, clarified, the country has a tendency to reduce the number of owners of small civilian weapons.

"There are about 4 million of them in total, over the past 8-9 years the number of gun owners has decreased by 25%, we estimate that a significant increase in owners should not be expected in the near future," Oleg Chikirev believes.

This trend leads to a decrease in the load on enterprises producing weapons and cartridges. There is also a tendency on the market to reduce the number of stores selling civilian guns.

In total, about 4 million people own civilian weapons in Russia, at the disposal of which there are more than 6 million weapons, says Alexander Samoilov, police colonel, deputy head of the Center for Licensing and Permitting Work of the Main Directorate of the Russian Guard in Moscow - head of the arms control department (Rosgvardia acts as a controlling body in the field of arms turnover).

"Every year, tens and hundreds of thousands of citizens receive licenses to own smoothbore rifles and rifled carbines to participate in hunting, as well as firearms smoothbore weapons, weapons of limited destruction for self-defense, firearms sports weapons. At the same time, someone acquires their first, and someone else another unit of weapons, "says Alexander Samoilov.

At the same time, the interest of Russians in civilian weapons is assessed as high: last year, 25 thousand people visited the Arms & Hunting exhibition, and this year the number of participants will increase by 30%, and the number of visitors will double (up to 50 thousand people).

2019: Russian companies' share of global arms market halved

The share of Russian companies in the global arms market has halved. This is evidenced by data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) for 2019. Read more here.

2017: State Duma deputies adopted amendments to the law "On Weapons" in the first reading

The amendments regulate relations arising from the circulation of combat hand-held small arms, ammunition for them and cold weapons, and also expand opportunities for the export of civilian and service weapons and ammunition for them.

The author of the amendments, Chairman of the Commission on Legal Support for the Development of Defense Industry Organizations Vladimir Gutenev recalled that the President of Russia, in the light of the upcoming passage of the peak of the state defense order, as well as in order to develop the scientific and technical potential of industry, was given instructions to diversify the production of enterprises of the military-industrial complex.

"The defense industry has set serious, ambitious tasks. At the same time, great potential in this direction, in my opinion, has not been realized by our manufacturers of civilian and service weapons. Currently, many enterprises are interested in increasing the volume of exports of these products and expanding sales markets: Izhevsk Concern,,, Kalashnikov Klimovsky Specialized Cartridge Plant (KSPZ)TSNIITOCHMASH Tula and Design Bureau of Instrument Engineering (KBP) named after A.G. Shipunova others, "Gutenev explained.

The need to improve the export system of civilian and service weapons and cartridges for them, according to the parliamentarian, is of particular relevance in the context of sectoral sanctions imposed by the EU, the United States and a number of other states.

"The foreign trade activities of Russian manufacturers of small arms, in particular, the Kalashnikov Concern, have been significantly complicated. The bill adopted today in the first reading expands the capabilities of manufacturers of civil and service weapons to promote their products for export with the help of trade relations developed and built by Rosoboronexport JSC, "the deputy said

Vladimir Gutenev stressed that Rosoboronexport regularly receives requests from foreign customers for the purchase of not only military products, but also a wide range of civilian and service weapons and ammunition for it. And, as a rule, customers insist on a comprehensive supply of all requested property, i.e. products for both military and non-military purposes.

"The adoption of this law will ensure the appropriate implementation by the state intermediary of appeals from foreign customers on the entire nomenclature of goods requested by them, as well as increase the share of civilian products at defense enterprises," the parliamentarian summed up.

How the gun works

{{#video: http://www.tadviser.ru/images/f/f0/Kak of pistol.mp4|100%|auto}

See also

• Weapons in Spain
• Russian Air Defense

Notes