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In the war against Ukraine, Russian invaders use American-Chinese hunting scopes, which are purchased by weapons companies in online stores.
Source : “Important Stories”
Details : It is reported that dozens of videos can be found on Youtube in which Russian fighters demonstrate sights from Western manufacturers – Leupold (USA), Nightforce – one, two, three, four (USA – Japan), Holosun (USA – China), Swarovski Optik (Austria).
As the publication learned, according to customs data, in 2022 – 2023, sights worth 16 billion rubles were imported into Russia.
The official purpose of the purchase is supposedly “for installation on hunting weapons.” But in fact, some of the sights end up at the front, the publication points out.
According to “Important Stories”, among the import champions are the online stores “Pointer” and “Navigator”.
“Pointer” from St. Petersburg operates under the slogan “We have everything for a successful hunt.” Since the beginning of the war, the company has imported almost 50 thousand sights from the American-Chinese manufacturer Holosun for more than 3 billion rubles. And the total amount of goods for hunting and sports, many of which are also used at the front, is 17 billion rubles.
“Hunting” goods from Pointer in 2022 – 2023 were purchased, in particular, by arms companies. Manufacturer of Orsis rifles, Promtekhnologiya – for 55 million rubles. The hunting store “Hunt”, which is owned by the manufacturers of Bespoke Gun rifles, – for 33 million rubles.
Since the beginning of the war, Navigator from Moscow has imported sights worth approximately 400 million rubles, including more than 2 thousand Holosun. And the total amount of goods is 4.5 billion rubles.
Among his buyers is the St. Petersburg-based Tekhnologiya, which was associated with the late owner of the Wagner PMC, Evgeniy Prigozhin. It purchased optics, rangefinders, glasses and other equipment for 140 million rubles.
The Moscow arms company, which produces Bespoke Gun rifles, purchased American Nightforce optical sights and other goods for 12 million. And the Hunt hunting store associated with it – for 19 million. The rifle manufacturer Lobaev Arms – Design Bureau of Integrated systems” – by 21 million.
“The importation of scopes and other “hunting” goods, naturally, is carried out through parallel imports – manufacturers most likely do not know where their goods end up. Pointer uses intermediaries in China, Navigator – in Turkey and Kazakhstan. Neither ” Pointer” and “Navigator” did not respond to the request from “Important Stories,” the publication points out in the material.
