Creator of Kalashnikov and General Director of "Izhmash" denied the lies of the American mass-media

Last week I had an opportunity to express my own opinion on the next provocation of CIA of the USA directed against military-technical cooperation of Russiaand Venezuela. I shall remind that it was a question of the publication in one of the issues of the newspaper "Washington Times" which - with the reference to the high-ranking anonymous source in administration of the USA- affirms that Russiaostensibly delivers Venezuelaout-of-date Kalashnikov  instead of promised modern ones.

That time I declared that in May Russiawill deliver to Venezuela exactly the Goods stated in the contract signed one year ago and there is no need to talk about any censures from the Venezuelan side.

I also emphasized that the publication in "Washington Times" is not the first attempt of CIA to cast a shadow on productive cooperation of Russiawith Venezuelaby distribution of lie and slander. At first Americans have devised that Kalashnikov from Venezuelawill be sent to Colombiato guerrillas from FARQ organization. Then rather mean insinuations against intermediaries in the transaction appeared. At last they thought up in CIA that supposedly because of corruption from both sides Kalashnikov which will be delivered will ostensibly be out-of-date.

On the last weekends the lie of the American newspaper was categorically denied by the legendary creator of Kalashnikov - Michael Timofeevich Kalashnikov and the General DIrector of Joint Stock Company “Concern “Izhmash” - Vladimir Grodetsky on the press-conference in the central office of “Rosoboronexport”.

In particular Vladimirinformed that in March “Izhmash” situated in the Udmurt republic was visited by a group of military experts from Venezuelawhich accepted the first party of AK-103 which according to the contract between Russiaand Venezuelawill be delivered to this country.

"This contract provides delivery to Venezuelathe newest small arms. These AK-103 have a special brand with a national symbol of Venezuelaand inscriptions in Spanish", - Grodetsky told. As he said under the request of the Venezuelan experts 10 pieces of subguns AK-103 have been disassembled, mixed and then assembled again. According to his explanations the quality of the subguns proved to be the highest.

In this way it is possible to state that another attempt of the American special services to belie Udmurtian armourers failed.

It is also curious that at the eve before it in the Izhevsknewspaper "Sovershenno Concretno” the material prepared by Udmurt journalist Alexey Streltsovym basing on the conversation with Vladimir Gradetsky was published. It is stated in the article that today Russiais on the second place in the world market of the weapon. Nevertheless we cannot feel ourselves comfortably, mainly because of the fact that 70 % of the Russian export goes to two countries - Chinaand India. And nobody knows if Chinese will remain our buyers or ask for the help of the USAin case of sudden removal of the embargo on the deliveries of weapon to China.

Nobody - is written in the article - can guarantee Russiastably high income in the world market of the weapon. The country sits not only on petrodollar, but also on Chinese-Indian "needle": the loss of these two partners in weapon business will lead to huge financial losses and, as consequence, production reduction at the Russian enterprises of a military-industrial complex.

How can we find the way out from this situation, to secure ourselves against too big influence of two countries? The way-out is the only one - development of new commodity markets of the Goods, appearance of the Russian manufacturers to other countries. The contract with Venezuelafor the delivery of Kalashnikov of the "100-th" series became one of first such agreements having opened to Russiaprospects on the Latin American continent earlier considered an ancestral lands of the USA, Franceand Belgium. It is not excluded now that we can carry out break and in other Latin American countries all the more that there is certain interest to our products and this interest is quite considerable.

According to Vladimir Grodetsky generals from the countries of Latin Americausually very steadfastly watch what is new that appears at the adjacent states. For example, Venezuelahaving bought from Russiaa party of helicopters found itself in the center of attention of its neighbours. Even if it sounds paradoxical, but the best advertising of military techniques is military threat. Therefore the Ministries of Defense of the countries next to Venezuelabecame thoughtful in which way they will resist to the Russian weapon in case of the hypothetical conflict with Venezuela.

However such "advertising" does not guarantee that defense departments of the countries next to Venezuelawill necessarily buy the Russian weapon. They can address to any manufacturers including the USAwhich rather willingly distributes the influence on this continent. Therefore, Grodetsky considers, representatives of Russian Military-Industrial Complex should invite representatives of the countries of Latin America more often - not only ordinary generals but also those people whose function is to give chapters of the states advice on the purchasing of the weapons. Only in this case we can count on receiving results.

One more important question: whether it is necessary for “Rosoboronexport” to have special exporters? Grodetsky thinks that it is necessary. Certainly enterprises of Military-Industrial Complex of ship-building or aviation branches often do not require the state intermediary and can lead trading works by themselves, only one piece of air-capable cruiser costs billions of dollars. Nevertheless it is difficult for such concern as "Izhmash" to sign contracts by itself.

In the beginning of 90^th everyone in the world market got an opportunity to be engaged in trading including manufacturers of small arms. Any contract was considered as huge success, struggling with each other, the enterprises constantly reduced the price thus receiving no advantage. Some manufacturers sold cartridges from their warehouses at prices even lower than the cost of the metal used.

Therefore to attack in one united front is more favourable than by the isolated parts. To conclude contracts with Venezuelait was necessary to work in this country for the whole year having spent quite considerable funds. There were no guarantees that Latin Americans will necessarily conclude the contract. It’s impossible for "Izhmash" independently to lead such long negotiations and bear such expenses therefore the work - with “Rosoboronexport" also - in this case had obvious advantages.

By the way this contract hadn’t been concluded without “Rosoboronexport" for one more reason. It is legislatively forbidden in Venezuelato negotiate about purchases of the weapon with private organizations. The Russian enterprises of Military-Industrial Complex, even "Izhmash" that is supervised by the state - in their understanding represents commercial structures, while “Rosoboronexport" is representative of the state. One also should count 44 representative offices in different countries worldwide and powerful lobbying opportunities of the special exporter.

So, a uniform Russian representative in the world market of the weapon is necessary. But how he should look like? First of all it would be desirable if this structure works on-the-fly. Representatives of the state corporation also speak about it: for the sale of a destroyer as well as for the sale of one hundred of subguns one needs the same set of documents and one term of work, while the value of the deals are different.

If “Rosoboronexport" will work on-the-fly, Grodetsky thinks, everybody will win: manufacturers of the weapon, citizens, the state and “Rosoboronexport" itself as it is terribly interested in sales increase of the Russian weapon.

As to service and delivery of spare parts to the techniques sold, these are the spheres - General Director of "Izhmash" thinks – that can be transferred to the control of enterprises. That would allow to raise efficiency without detriment to quality. Eventually, the state can define frameworks in which the enterprises will work in these directions, issue licenses, after that no problems will appear.

However, to sell weapon is necessary to produce and improve it. Nobody in the world market will wait till the time when Russian enterprises of Military-Industrial Complex will rise from knees and the state will have a distinct industrial policy. The countries that are interested wish to buy the weapon "here and now" and it’s important to offer them such opportunity.

Nevertheless, we shall repeat that the state doesn’t have practicable plans of development domestic "defense industry”. Absence of attention results in absence of real support from defense sector. State machine only limits possibilities of the enterprises not realizing that any restriction should be compensated by something.

So, the authority vetoed participation of the foreign capital in the work of the defense enterprises. Is the decision correct? On the one hand, yes, it’s correct. Foreign manufacturers frequently have absolutely different interests: quite often it happens so that by buying of the Russian enterprise they simply eliminate the competitor from the market.

But, on the other hand, from where should investments into the Russian MIC come? The State in this way reminds of a dog n the manger: it does not eat itself and do not let to do it to others. It ostensibly has no money for modernization of manufacture (despite of huge stabilization fund abroad), the enterprises also don’t posses money for doing that. To the foreign investor, as they say, we show “picket fence”.

In other words, defense enterprises need additional state privileges so that not only survive but also to develop manufacture, - Vladimir Grodetsky thinks. Otherwise in ten years we will have nothing to enter the world market with.

Our own army is also interested in the newest weapon. It’s not a secret to everyone that selling arms to other countries the enterprises work for own army. For example, "Izhmash" carrying out contractual obligations with Venezueladebugs production of АКof the "100-th" series. This production in case the state decided to modernize army will be very and very useful. But the program of rearmament of the Russian Army is financed obviously insufficiently. Thus the volume of Kalashnikov of the 100^th series which "Izhmash" sells to Venezuelais greater then that one delivered to the Russian Army,