Western Sanctions Force Kalashnikov To Increase Civilian Arms Share

Kalashnikov is forced to strive for an increase in the share of civilian products due to the western sanctions against the company since July 2014.

The US prohibited imports of Kalashnikov products to the nation citing Russia’s alleged interference in the Ukrainian internal conflict. The company also faced a limited access to the European Union financial markets in September 2014, Sputnik reported Monday.

"The [Russian] Defense Ministry still remains one of our major customers. We are proud that we fulfill completely the state defense order. However, today, the share of small arms under the state defense order does not exceed 5 percent, and one of the main targets is to increase the share of civilian products designed for the domestic market," Vladimir Dmitriev told Russia’s Izvestiya newspaper in an interview published on Monday.

The arms manufacturer plans to pay more attention to the Russian domestic market in 2016, he added.

"Prior to the introduction of sanctions, the United States has been for us the main sales market for the civilian small arms, up to 70 percent of the products of this type was send there. This year we were not able to fully participate in the international exhibitions… At the largest Eurosatory exhibition in Paris we will be able to show the Western partners only 3D models of our prospective shooting complexes," Dmitriev said.