MOSCOW. May 6 (Interfax) - The Russian Interior Ministry has completed a purchase of RPO-A "Shmel" reactive infantry flamethrowers, according to the Russian government procurement website (zakupki.gov.ru).
The ministry has acquired 120 rocket launchers worth in total over 7.4 million rubles, or 62,300 rubles per piece, according to the website.
The purchase is probably intended for Internal Troops which now form part of the new National Guard, a veteran intelligence agent, retired Lt. Gen. Alexander Mikhailov told Interfax on Thursday.
Among the National Guard's objectives is to fight terrorism and extremism and to participate in territorial defense.
"I think it has to do with the National Guard. Of course, this purchase is definitely not for police needs," he said.
The Shmel flamethrower is designed to destroy hidden enemy firing positions, to disable light armored and automobile vehicles, and to destroy enemy personnel.
Earlier the Vedomosti newspaper said that the Russian Interior Ministry was planning to buy a towed non-lethal acoustic weapon system. According to the technical requirements, the system is designed to trigger "certain behavioral reactions from public order violators by remotely creating infra-low-frequency fluctuations that affect the central nervous system." The initial price of the contract is 5.1 million rubles, delivery deadline: July 1, 2016, according to the notice on the government procurement website.