While walking around SHOT Show this year, I couldn’t help but see the ads running for the Last of Molot and directing me to Booth 11217. With the prospect of the promise of free patch and a chance to check out the last of the VEPR’s, I couldn’t resist. As many of you know, this year the federal government put the final nail in the coffin for anyone wanted access to quality Russian firearms. The question is, “Why and how did we get here?” Let’s take those two questions in reverse order.
By I Hunt, esq.
How Did We Get Here?
On March 16, 2014, our favorite President (Barack Obama) issued Executive Order 13661 stating:
I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, hereby expand the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660 of March 6, 2014, finding that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine—including the recent deployment of Russian Federation military forces in the Crimea region of Ukraine—undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets, and thereby constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
In sum, President Obama decreed Russia’s conduct in the Ukraine created a “threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.” While I will leave foreign policymaking to those in Washington DC, Russian / Ukrainian relations have been tense since the dissolution of the Soviet Union but date back all the way to the 17th Century. Nevertheless, the two countries are currently involved in a military conflict that began in March 2014. It is this most recent conflict, which leads to the above executive order and the implementation of economic sanctions against, among others, Kalashnikov Concern in 2014.
For those in the know, Kalashnikov Concern is the Russian defense company that originally brought you the Izhmash and Saiga rifles and shotguns. As such, when the sanctions were implemented in 2014 against Kalashnikov Concern, its U.S. market dried up, and the value of those guns, which made it to the U.S. market prior to the sanctions, increased exponentially. However, the sanctions were limited and did not include Kalashnikov Concern’s competitor Molot-Oruzhie. As such, Molot came into the U.S. market to fill the ongoing need for high quality Russian firearms.
Why Molot Three Years Later In 2017
The question must then be asked, why target Molot three years later. The answer may surprise you. According to the United States Department of Treasury Molot was targeted based upon the following:
Molot-Oruzhie, OOO manufactures ordnance and accessories and is located in the Russian Federation. In 2016, previously designated Kalashnikov Concern advised a foreign company to use Molot-Oruzhie, OOO to falsify invoices in order to circumvent U.S. and EU sanctions. Molot-Oruzhie is being designated for operating in the arms or related material sector of the Russian Federation and for acting or purporting to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Kalashnikov Concern.
Therefore, it appears that Kalashnikov Concern (an apparent competitor of Molot’s) advised an unidentified and unknown foreign company to use Molot to falsify invoices in order to circumvent the sanctions. It does not state Molot actually falsified invoices for Kalashnikov Concern, nor does it state Molot ever circumvented the sanctions. Rather, the entire basis for adding Molot to the list of sanctioned entities three years later is because its competitor allegedly told a foreign company to see if Molot would falsify invoices. If this does not make any sense to you – you are not alone. Either way, if the advertising is true this year marks the “Last of the Molot” and the end of Molot firearms in the U.S., so the question is – “Do you need one before they are gone?”
Who wouldn’t want a Molot? The real question should be which caliber(s)? Share your answer in the comment section.
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Obuma was the worst thing that ever happened to the USA and honest American citizens. Obuma catered to the questionable minorities the that he let migrate to the USA.
In 2006 Izhmash (now known as Kalashnikov Concern) sued Molot for patent infringement. Supposedly the Russian courts favored Izhmashs’ claim that they were the sole entity to manufacture AK type rifles. Molot was ordered to pay royalties going forward and penalties for past production. Molot was unable, so Izhmash was awarded pretty much all of the assets previously held by Molot. The companies continued to run independently, at least on the surface. But I always thought the US state dept figured this out and concluded they were actually owned by the same entity (Putin or Russian Govt which is the same thing), and that is why we no longer can get those beautiful RPKs.
7.62x54R and or the caliber slightly bigger than this one if they make the bigger caliber in the Molot.
Just bought 7.62×39 & 5.45×39. The 7.62 x 54r is my next purchase.
The Molot sanctions are completely unjustified and ridiculous! They have personally caused me a loss in business as I can no longer purchase Vepr rifles for my customers, especially the 6.5 Grendel rifles. They are some of the best firearms produced from the Kalishnikov design, and there is a high demand for them in the U.S.