{"id":200441,"date":"2026-08-19T11:43:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T08:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/200441\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T11:43:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T08:43:38","slug":"belarus-looking-to-enter-firearms-market-abandoned-by-russia-iran","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/200441\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus looking to enter firearms market abandoned by Russia, Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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August 19,<\/strong> Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Belarus is seeking to expand its firearms industry and fill a gap in the international arms market that it says has emerged after Russia and Iran withdrew from it, state media reported following Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s visit to a Kidma Tek plant in Dziar\u017eynsk on August 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarusian arms companies have designed five types of firearms, four of which have already been adopted by the country\u2019s armed forces and security services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reports mentioned the Stilet sniper rifle and the PP-919 submachine gun. The plant is preparing to launch mass production of the VSK-100B automatic rifle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur key task is to design a machine gun,\u201d state media quoted D\u017amitryj Pantus, chairman of the State Defense Industry Committee, as saying. \u201cWe will spend our energies and use our experience to create this product in the next two years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kidma Tek plant achieved 100 percent localization in 2023, he said, noting that Belarusian companies have been designing firearms since 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pantus said Kidma Tek is working \u201cin the interests of foreign partners\u201d but did not specify which ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka told officials \u201cto spare no expense\u201d on firearms development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow it is time of great opportunities,\u201d said Andrej Anisima\u016d, deputy director for production. \u201cThe Russian Federation has withdrawn from the arms market for one reason or another, Iran has withdrawn. There is a vacuum on the external market. It is only fitting that we fill it with our products.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two weeks ago, Kyiv added Kidma Tek, formerly known as BSVT Novyja Technalohii, and Tissa, based in Maladzie\u010dna, Minsk region, to its sanctions list for supplying weapons and parts for ballistic munitions to Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kidma Tek manufactures sights for firearms and armored vehicles, television and infrared systems, the Berserk unmanned anti-UAV system, the anti-aircraft system Trio that consists of the Strela-10 and Shilka anti-aircraft guns and a fire control vehicle and the Fleita multiple rocket launch system. It also repairs surface-to-ground and anti-tank missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kidma Tek has been sanctioned by Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United States and the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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