News Feed
Show More
News Feed

Suspected US-to-Russia weapons trafficker arrested in Kyrgyzstan

1 min read
Suspected US-to-Russia weapons trafficker arrested in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz flag. Illustrative purposes only.

Kyrgyz law enforcement officers arrested a suspected arms trafficker linked to a criminal group smuggling weapons from the U.S. to Russia, according to a statement released by Kyrgyzstan's security agency, the State Committee for National Security, on Jan. 30.

The criminal group reportedly began transporting weapons in April 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

Authorities caught the suspect while he was receiving a package containing firearm parts, according to the statement.

The organization, consisting of Kyrgyz, Russian, and American citizens, allegedly trafficked over 300 weapons, including Glock pistols and AR-15 rifles.

The State Committee for National Security said that the network was "uncovered and dismantled" and that it involved smuggling firearms, ammunition, and military gear from the U.S. to Russia via Kyrgyzstan.

Russian oligarch held stake in Musk’s SpaceX through trust despite sanctions, Bloomberg reports
Kerimov’s investment in SpaceX reportedly began in 2017 through Heritage Trust, a financial structure managed by Citigroup. SpaceX was valued at $21 billion at the time, meaning his 1% stake could have been worth around $210 million.

Avatar
Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

Read more