ABU DHABI. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Former Soviet countries are interested in modernizing their arsenals and in acquiring new Russian rifles, general director of Kalashnikov Group (part of the State Corporation Rostec) Dmitry Tarasov said.
"These countries have stockpiles of weapons inherited from Soviet times. However, these weapons tend to wear out over time, and the armies of these countries begin requiring more advanced samples," Tarasov said at the IDEX 2021 International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi.
"The interest emerging on the part of Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Belarus to as yet trial purchases of AK 12-family assault rifles allows the [Kalashnikov] company to gradually increase deliveries of such advanced samples to CIS states," Tarasov said.
As reported earlier, Armenia began assembling AK-103 rifles in the summer of 2020.
Kalashnikov Group is a leading Russian manufacturer of combat automatic and sniper weapons and guided artillery rounds. Its segment of civilian products includes hunting rifles, sporting rifles, motorbikes, machinery, and tools.