Individual convicted for peddling military hardware in Crimea faced a 3.5-year prison sentence.
In a recent development, a businessman was slapped with a three and a half year prison sentence for engaging in illicit foreign trade, contravening Part 1 of Article 226.1 of the Criminal Code ("Contraband of other weapons"). This unfolded after an extensive search that uncovered more than 200 items of military equipment in his possession. This information was circulated by TASS, citing the press service of the Southern Customs Administration.
The accused was a 40-year-old entrepreneur procuring such prohibited goods from various private individuals. Customs intercepted 11 of his shipments bound for destinations abroad. In his customs declarations, he claimed the contents were civilian goods (hats, bags, masks) for buyers in the USA, Greece, Germany, France, and the UK.
However, according to the expert analysis, these items were in fact military equipment, the sale of which is forbidden in Russia.
June saw the arrest of a gang of five individuals trying to export 1 kg of radioactive Cesium-137 worth an astonishing $3.5 million to foreign shores. The lethal substance was destined for battlefields in Ukraine.
The trade and export of military equipment and radioactive materials in Russia are subject to stringent regulations.
military equipment export regulations:
- Legal Structure: The export of military goods is governed by the Federal Law "On Military-Technical Cooperation of the Russian Federation with Foreign States" passed on July 3, 1998. This legislation vests the Ministry of Defense with the power to issue export licenses for such goods[1].
- Licensing Requirements: Exporting military equipment requires a license, a responsibility exclusively conferred on the Ministry of Defense since 1998. A 2022 Russian government decree prohibits the export of military items without the necessary licensing, emphasizing national security concerns[3].
- Catch-All Provision: Russia has a catch-all provision that bans the export of dual-use goods if they are meant for use in weapons of mass destruction, regardless of whether they appear on control lists[1].
radioactive materials export regulations:
Technical details regarding the export of radioactive materials from Russia weren't provided, but Russia generally adheres to international guidelines and its own regulations for the handling and export of such materials, this often involves stringent licensing and monitoring to ensure compliance with international non-proliferation standards.
The export of military equipment and radioactive materials from Russia is plagued with regulations, both domestically and internationally, to deter misuse and preserve security and non-proliferation objectives.These regulations become even more challenging as Russia navigates international sanctions and export controls imposed by other countries, making it difficult to trade in certain military and dual-use technologies[4][5].
- The news of a businessman's prison sentence for contraband of military equipment was sent by TASS, citing the press service of the Southern Customs Administration, as he was illegally procuring such items in violation of Part 1 of Article 226.1 of the Criminal Code.
- In a concerning incident, a gang was arrested for attempting to export 1 kg of radioactive Cesium-137, which was worth $3.5 million and destined for battlefields in Ukraine, citing the general-news.
- The export of military equipment and radioactive materials in Russia is subject to stringent regulations, with the latter often involving stringent licensing and monitoring to comply with international non-proliferation standards, as stipulated by the Federal Law "On Military-Technical Cooperation" passed in 1998.
- As per the customs, exporting military equipment requires a license from the Ministry of Defense, as outlined in the catch-all provision that bans the export of dual-use goods intended for use in weapons of mass destruction, regardless of their inclusion on control lists.
