Russia has closed the mass distribution of award military weapons

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

In the hands of thousands of our fellow citizens - celebrities, officials, businessmen - are weapons that were not issued to them legally in Russia. They received it in neighboring countries, sometimes in an extremely mysterious way, and only very recently was a normative barrier to this dubious mechanism put up. The correspondent of the VZGLYAD newspaper investigated the history, scale and prospects of this phenomenon.

In May, a Russian businessman, a billionaire from the Forbes list, the largest shareholder and head of the board of directors of the Alltek group, Dmitry Bosov, was found dead in his mansion on Rublevo-Uspenskoe highway. He allegedly committed suicide.

Among other things, a Glock 19 pistol was found in the businessman's house. Where did Bossov get this weapon from? He received it from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia as an award. At least, this is what a number of media outlets say - and the sources of the VZGLYAD newspaper also confirm this.

Personal weapons are a traditional military decoration. But nothing connected Bosov with the war of Abkhazia with Georgia for independence, and indeed with the republic in general. Moreover, as the VZGLYAD newspaper correspondent was told, surrounded by the deceased businessman, "he has never been to Abkhazia at all."

Where, then, did the billionaire get the premium combat pistol?

Necessity for invention is cunning

“Abkhazia is very poor. There is a poor population and a poor government. Every opportunity was used here to make money. Including all sorts of "gray schemes". There were schemes with cheap cars with low customs duties. Another scheme is supposedly a premium weapon, - Alexey Kosivtsov, a former officer of the special services of Abkhazia, now lives in Sochi, tells the VZGLYAD newspaper. - Russia recognizes the award weapons of other countries. And at the same time Russia recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia. And if a person wants to arrange for himself a weapon that he would legally carry with him in Russia, he simply turns to knowledgeable people in the republic. Through a chain of intermediaries, he is brought together with people from the administration. Nobody will require personal presence. If the billionaire had such a whim, he could simply send a messenger with money for the pistol. Only the messenger is at risk."

For the first time, a local deputy and politician Almas Dzhapua in the spring of 2016 publicly announced the existence of the problem of trade in premium weapons in Abkhazia. He stated that he has a list of 33 awarded (this is only for 2015). Some people from Russia appeared there, some with an alleged criminal past. The MP published the list on his pages in social networks. The original publication was lost, but re-posts were made. Some of them are still available today.

This statement had the effect of a "exploding bomb", but it was made during the political struggle in the republic in general and in its power structures in particular. Almas Japua himself then tried to run for president. His opponents in power called the statement about the weapon "slander" and "outright black PR".

There were very different people on Japua's list. Some of them have still not been able to accurately identify. Others were declassified, but they categorically refuse to talk to journalists. These are, for example, the former head of the road management and transport department of the Ulyanovsk city administration Igor Bychkov, allegedly awarded Gloсk 17. Or the president of the "Association of Oil and Gas Production and Drilling Equipment Enterprises" Damir Sitdikov, possibly the owner of Gloсk 19. Another recipient is the Russian-Belarusian businessman Viktor Labusov, head of the Kexton company. If you believe the list of Dzhapua, Labusov is the happy owner of the TT award from the government of Abkhazia.

The only one with whom the newspaper VZGLYAD managed to talk is Kamil Shamilevich Zilli, a graduate of the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, chess player, individual entrepreneur and former head of the firm "Zilli and Partners". He admitted that he was the owner of the Viking MP-446 award pistol, stated that the reason for the award was "secret", and hung up.

A topic that cannot be talked about

A team of Abkhaz journalists under the leadership of the editor-in-chief of the Internet portal "Sukhum-Moscow" Anton Krivenyuk, including the reporter Stella Adleiba, tried to investigate the situation with the awards. However, all publications on this topic have disappeared from the site. Adleiba herself left journalism and left the republic. She claims that the site "was subjected to a DDoS attack, the archive was destroyed."

Anton Krivenyuk also left Abkhazia and lives in Moscow. “I tried to find those publications of ours, but I couldn’t, the archive is really lost,” Krivenyuk tells the VZGLYAD newspaper correspondent. - Information about the "Japua list" was actively used to topple Prime Minister Arthur Mikvabia. Yes, with him, weapons were sold on the stream. But the reason is different. The list was used by the extreme right-wing, nationalist group Ainar. They were against rapprochement with Moscow and used the list as compromising evidence against the conventionally pro-Moscow party. In the spirit that you see how these hucksters make money on awards, sell them to Russian bandits. They also considered us pro-Moscow, by the way. There were … incidents about this. " This, by the way, is not the only conflict between journalists and “Ainar”. The nationalists demanded to close the Sukhum-Moscow resource for articles about the sale of real estate to foreigners.

But in the summer of 2017, his brother, Astamur Japua, commits a terrible crime. In a state of alcoholic intoxication, he rapes a 13-year-old girl. Almas defends his brother, his reputation is crumbling - a big political career ends before it even begins. It is noteworthy that Astamur at the time of the crime was a security officer for the President of Abkhazia. Almas Japua refused to discuss the topic of the list of awardees.

To dump all the blame on Prime Minister Mikvabia, who held this position from March 2015 to July 2016, was clearly speculation and a stretch. Many claim to have traded in arms before him, and after him. “The flowering of this scheme was long ago, starting at least from the second presidency of Sergei Vasilyevich Bagapsh (re-assumed the presidency in February 2010, remained the country's leader until his death in May 2011 - ed.), That is, in a similar form, the scheme existed already five to six years by the time Japua was exposed,”says Kosivtsov.

The topic of arms trade in Abkhazia was previously completely taboo. And not because of the criminal component, but because it "discredits the republic." The locals are extremely sensitive to attempts to publicly show any negative processes in the republic. Plus, the Georgian media are actively speculating on the issue of pistol trade. They increase the really existing problem to an incredible scale, trying to present Abkhazia as a cartoon reserve of absolute banditry - which, of course, is completely wrong.

“This is largely the speculation of ill-wishers. Even if the weapon was sold, it is not cheap, and an ordinary criminal cannot buy such a weapon. Only a businessman with a good income could afford it. But if you think logically - why should a businessman be armed himself? What prevents you from taking security? - tells the correspondent of the newspaper VZGLYAD Akhra Avidzba, assistant to the President of Abkhazia for international relations, a volunteer in the war in Donbass and a former brigade commander of the 15th international brigade of the DPR Ministry of Defense.

At the same time, Avidzba reluctantly, but agrees that paid awards to foreigners "could have been, but under the previous government." In January 2020, following protests, President Raul Khajimba resigned. He was replaced by Aslan Bzhania. Akhra took an active part in the protests and agreed to join the team of the new president. Regarding weapons, Avidzba also suggests "looking at the ethnic origin of the recipients." “Abkhazians, I think there will be a couple of people,” he complains.

“From 2015 to 2020, 451 units of award weapons were issued,” Minister Dmitry Dbar told the VZGLYAD newspaper. - To date, the entire licensing and authorization system is undergoing some reorganization in order to optimize control and operational accounting of weapons turnover. Card accounting archives are also being digitized - the process of forming an up-to-date legal framework governing the circulation of weapons is under way. Of course, the requirements for the registration of weapons in general are becoming more stringent, and there will be serious restrictions."

In other words, Abkhazian officials publicly admit that the procedure for issuing award weapons really needs to be tightened and reformed. Taking into account the Abkhaz mentality and the categorical unwillingness to wash dirty linen in public (see above), this is a very significant recognition.

They also trade in the fraternal republic

As in Abkhazia, in South Ossetia the distribution of award weapons has been put on stream since about 2009. At the same time, Eduard Kokoity, President of Ossetia from 2001 to 2011, did not sell pistols, but used them as a form of "influencing through respect." Officially, the right people were awarded according to the local principle: "We respect you, dear, here is a prestigious award for you, we will be friends."

The main objects of awards were Russian generals, customs officers, Russian provincial officials “sent” to Ossetia after August 2008, and there were hundreds of them. The exact number of pistols distributed in this way is unknown. According to some estimates, about a thousand. Only on the last day before his resignation, Kokoity signed about 30 orders of awarding. This was generally the last decree that he signed as the leader of the republic.

One copy is kept in the award department of the presidential administration, and the second is given to the recipient. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Akhsar Lavoev and the head of the president's security, Valery Bikoev, nicknamed Biko, were responsible for the awards under Tibilov. Lavoev has an extremely controversial reputation in the republic. He is an open supporter of Jehovah's Witnesses *, which is perceived critically in the very traditional atmosphere of Ossetia. At the same time, it was under Tibilov-Lavoev that the rewarding reached its peak. It was not only the president who began to issue award weapons, but also individual departments: the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense and the KGB.

A loud scandal, like in Abkhazia, occurred before the elections - in 2017. Unknown persons have published a list of the allegedly awarded. The original, as in Abkhazia, has not survived, but reprints can easily be found. There were several hundred people on this list, including Mikhail Gutseriev, a billionaire and a native of Ingushetia. In general, as if on purpose, there were a lot of Ingush surnames on the list. Considering the history of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict, such a publication looked like a provocation. The reliability of the list is unknown; during the debate, Tibilov said that he was partially "incorrect", although he admitted that Gutseriev was among the awardees. Tibilov lost the election.

“It only comes up as pre-election compromising material. In other periods, no one cares, such rewards are perceived as part of normal behavior. Medals are also awarded to people who are completely outsiders, just random, which has long devalued the essence of the awards,”an interlocutor close to the South Ossetian government tells the VZGLYAD newspaper. As a result, the current Minister of Internal Affairs Igor Naniev once in his hearts threw out that "he cannot calculate how many pistols went to Russia through the award line," and specialized weapons forums regularly entertained themselves by discussing the topic of arms trade in Ossetia.

A gun for the infantile militarist

The process of obtaining award weapons in the republics was simple, but required contacts and recommendations. It was necessary to talk with knowledgeable people and through several negotiators the recipient was brought in with officials or businessmen directly connected with the award department of the administration of the head of the republic. But the attempt of the newspaper VZGLYAD to find out the price of the goods gave an ambiguous result. Very different options are possible. “Considering that it was possible to get an Abkhaz passport for money under Bagapsh for 60-100 thousand rubles, then the premium weapon cost no more than five thousand dollars at the then exchange rate, not counting the cost of the barrel itself,” Kosivtsov says.

But then the situation changed. Weapons rose in price, and they began to sell them as an exclusive, boutique product for show-off lovers. With an emphasis on the possession of a legal real "trunk". On the one hand, this is not a criminal pistol. And on the other hand, not some kind of gas or traumatic, but a real combat one. The wealthy, infantile militarist looking for entertainment is the ideal client. And here everything depended on the capabilities and generosity of the buyer and the virtuosity of the seller who praised the product. Award weapons could cost 20 thousand dollars, and 50 thousand, and even in some cases 60 thousand.

According to official data, almost 17 thousand units of premium rifled firearms were registered in Russia at the beginning of 2019. It is not known how many of them were foreign gifts. The subtlety lies in the fact that such a weapon had to be registered, but not everyone did it.

Several times pistols from Abkhazia and South Ossetia appeared in crime reports. So, in 2017, in St. Petersburg, retired major Yuri Meshcheryakov, in self-defense, shot a robber with an award-winning Makarov. At first they did not believe him, but during a search of his apartment they did find award Abkhaz documents. However, the pistol turned out to be stolen in Kazakhstan.

Another case was in the Moscow region, in Fryazino, in 2016, when a businessman Grigor Agekyan attacked the deputy head of the city with an award pistol for demolishing advertising structures. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But the most unpleasant story is the shootout on Rochdelskaya Street in Moscow in 2015. Lawyer Eduard Budantsev shot at the people of crime boss Shakro Molodoy with a Beretta, which was presented to him by President Kokoity "for his participation in the 2008 war." Budantsev previously served in SOBR, but did not fight in Ossetia.

The origin of these pistols is interesting too. It would seem that everything is simple. The republics that survived the war are literally stuffed with weapons. Including even from Soviet warehouses. According to the source of the VZGLYAD newspaper, at one time the Russian Ministry of Defense allocated new "Vikings" to the Abkhazians (this is a modification of "Yarygin"), with which the state security and the State Security Service were equipped. Some of them officially went to the award fund. There are quite a lot of people awarded with Abkhaz "Vikings" in Russia. But there are also many awarded with Western Beretta and Glock pistols. But where they came from is a big mystery. Recall that it was Glock that was found at Dmitry Bosov.

The interlocutor of VZGLYAD correspondent in Tskhinvali, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the former Minister of Internal Affairs of South Ossetia Askhar Lavoev and his people allegedly bought Western samples in Georgia, then presented them as "found in an abandoned house on the outskirts of Tskhinvali", then issued them on themselves and after they were sold to Russia as a "trophy award". Lavoev himself refused to comment on this information to the VZGLYAD newspaper.

And now the shop is closed

“Rumors are being spread on purpose. As if every shootout in Russia from award weapons from us, but it is not! " - Akhra Avidzba is indignant. At the same time, he claims that "the shop is already closed", that "now Russia can refuse to register such weapons, because they are registered through the Russian Guard" and that "if a problem person is given a bonus, the Russian" permission "will no longer pass" …

We are talking about the recent decree of the President of Russia dated January 30, 2020, which approves the procedure developed by the Rosguard for Russians to accept award weapons from the leadership of other countries. Anyone who wants to own such a weapon on the territory of Russia must personally apply to the Russian Guard or its territorial department with an application for the issuance of an opinion. Rosgvardia will consider it within 90 days from the date of receipt. The application will need to attach a package of documents, including a copy of the weapon award document and its translation into Russian, certified by a notary. You also need to provide medical reports and documents on the appropriate training and periodic verification of the rules for handling weapons, on the availability of such skills.

Rosgvardia, in turn, must inform the FSB, and if the Chekists do not like something, they will refuse without explanation. It is no longer possible to enter the country with such a weapon until the appropriate decision of the Russian authorities. Stay in a foreign land or give the pistol on arrival for temporary storage in the Russian Guard.

It was simply equated with the order for gifts from the native state. The legal lacuna that has existed for almost thirty years has now been closed. Thus, the suicide of billionaire Dmitry Bosov is a kind of farewell greeting from the past, "unsettled" times. “Yours give a request for what merits the pistol was issued for - and may refuse [to issue a permit to carry it in Russia],” Avidzba says.

In the media space, this decree went unnoticed, no one spoke about its connection with the sale of premium weapons. However, the sources of the VZGLYAD newspaper claim that the decree was adopted specifically with the aim of stopping such trade. And it was adopted immediately after the apogee of the protests in Abkhazia and the early resignation of the former president. “In theory, this does not mean that the gun can no longer be bought. But for this you need to make a purchase and bribe that unknown guardsman who will send the request. And at the same time, bribe the FSB officer, who controls and approves all this. In theory this is possible, but in practice it is not,”concludes Alexey Kosivtsov.

How do they perceive what is happening in Abkhazia and South Ossetia? It is unlikely that they are very happy there. First, Abkhaz and Ossetian officials have lost another source of "gray" personal income. Yes, relatively small. But in the conditions of extreme poverty of the republics it is quite noticeable. This could contribute to friction between the ruling circles and Moscow. It is always unpleasant when the "feeding trough" is taken away. Secondly, all the efforts of the corrupt officials will now shift from the piece "gray" export of legal weapons to the massive "black" export of illegal weapons. An illegal "trunk" without a ksiva cannot be sold dearly, but you can sell a lot of such barrels.

“Only in May, in a Sukhumi high-rise building, a weapon cache with dozens of pistols and machine guns was found. According to my information, its owner worked in law enforcement agencies and is now in custody. It was planned to put all this on the black market. This cache was found. How much is left? - asks Kosivtsov.