Russia and Bulgaria to Resolve Unlicensed Production of Soviet-Era Weaponry

Russia and Bulgaria will work together to resolve the issue of unlicensed production of Soviet-era weaponry and equipment by Bulgarian companies, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said.

"We spoke about bilateral military-technical cooperation. There are some problems in this area that we must resolve together. They are related to unlicensed production of Soviet-era special equipment and weaponry," Putin said.

Russia has expressed its concern over illegal production of Kalashnikov assault rifles including arsenal by Bulgarian companies, according to RIA Novosti.

The nation faces major losses due to the illegal manufacture of the rifles in 15 countries and accounts for only 10%-12% of the million Kalashnikov rifles sold globally every year.

China is the only country that manufactures the Kalashnikov rifle and its modifications with a valid licence.