April 10, 2024

Black Market for Weapons Growing


Black Market for Weapons Growing
104th Guards Air Assault Regiment. Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Wikimedia Commons.

Military courts in 2023 dealt with 179 cases of weapons trafficking, marking a significant increase compared to previous years.

Seventy-eight individuals involved in Russia's War on Ukraine face charges. These individuals are accused of transporting weapons from the frontlines through occupied territories, with the majority of convictions handed down by courts in the Rostov region, which also includes cases against military personnel operating in newly annexed regions.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Global Organized Crime Index reported a growth in the black market for weapons, positioning Russia as the second-largest market in Europe after Ukraine, and on par with countries like Pakistan, Ethiopia, Chad, and Nigeria.

Not surprisingly, experts attribute the surge to ongoing military operations. In 2023, military courts processed double the number of cases related to trafficking in firearms, ammunition, and explosives compared to the pre-war period. Conversely, the number of similar cases in civilian courts remained unchanged.

Instances of theft from military facilities contribute to the proliferation of illegal arms. In one case, Alexander Andreychuk, a mobilized soldier, stole weaponry from a base camp in Ukraine, attempting to sell it in Russia before being apprehended by authorities. Similarly, military officer Roman Tseluiko stole a Kalashnikov assault rifle and ammunition from a weapons storage room, aiming to sell them, but was intercepted by security forces.

Weapons from the conflict zones often find their way onto Russian online platforms such as Telegram channels and websites. Despite efforts by Roskomnadzor to block these platforms since 2016, including well-known sites like the Cherny Rynok (Black Market) weapons store, illicit trade persists as trades simply shift domains to evade censorship. In September 2022, Cherny Rynok expanded its operations, offering a range of weapons and permits, with over 237 web addresses leading to illicit gun stores now blocked nationally. More than half were added in 2023.

You Might Also Like

An Air Self Defense
  • March 27, 2024

An Air Self Defense

Some Russian companies are buying their own air defense systems.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
The Little Humpbacked Horse

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955