"The Russian Defenсe Ministry carried out delivery of small arms for free to the Gabon Republic to support the government of this country in the fight against poaching and the protection of national parks", the Ministry said.
Gabon is implementing a program for the protection of rare animals, mostly forest elephants, the Ministry said, adding that their population in Gabon is the largest in Africa.
The money received from the sale of ivory mostly goes to criminal organizations of the region, it noted.
This delivery of weapons is reportedly the first in the history of relations between Gabon and Russia or the Soviet Union.
