Russian Arms Maker Kalashnikov Looks at Potential Sales in 50 Countries

Russia's Kalashnikov Concern has identified 50 countries as potential priority buyers of its weapons by 2020. The company hopes that the present rebranding will boost its competitiveness in global arms industry.

MOSCOW, December 2 (Sputnik) — Russia's largest small arms manufacturer, Kalashnikov Concern, has rolled out its new development strategy for between now and 2020 that includes looking for potential buyers in 50 different countries, the company's CEO Alexei Krivoruchko said Tuesday.

"Speaking about military products, we have identified 50 priority countries," Krivoruchko said at a historic conference that was hosted by the Russian state technologies corporation Rostec.

The event, held in the Russian capital, announced the company's rebranding to increase "a feeling of unity" between its separate production lines. Kalashnikov representatives pointed out earlier that it was impossible to "compete with global arms industry leaders without a strong, recognizable brand."

Kalashnikov Concern was created in 2013 merging the Izhmash and Izhmekh plants. It is now Russia's largest producer of automatic and sniper rifles and guided artillery shells. The company also produces a wide range of civilian products, including hunting and sport rifles.

Before Washington, Brussels and their allies imposed sanctions on Russian defense industry over Moscow's alleged interference in the Ukrainian internal conflict, Kalashnikov had exported its products to 27 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.