Earlier today, it was announced that Russia has inaugurated a new ammunition production plant in Venezuela to supply Kalashnikov rifle rounds for the National Bolivarian Armed Forces. According to official statements, the facility will enable the Latin American country to produce up to 70 million cartridges annually, thereby strengthening its stockpiles with locally manufactured materials. This marks the completion of the first stage of a larger industrial complex planned by the Russian state corporation Rostec, with construction carried out by its subsidiary Rosoboronexport. The milestone has been celebrated as a symbol of deepening ties between Caracas and Moscow.
According to the official release, the plant includes four modern production lines, evenly divided between those manufacturing steel-core cartridges and those producing blank and tracer rounds. The facility also features a waste management center, storage units for production components, and a 210-meter-long firing range for testing the ammunition, along with other auxiliary structures.
Looking ahead, Rostec’s Executive Director Oleg Yevtushenko stated: “The launch of additional production facilities is expected soon, which will ensure a full production cycle for Kalashnikov cartridges and assault rifles in Venezuela for the military, police, and other security forces. This is a key step in advancing our technological cooperation with a strategic partner in Latin America.”
Rosoboronexport’s General Director Alexander Mikheev also commented on the milestone, emphasizing the challenges posed by international sanctions: “The construction of this ammunition plant in Venezuela presented significant challenges for Rosoboronexport, including the sanctions pressure on both countries. Despite these objective restrictions, together with Rostec we implemented this complex infrastructure project and demonstrated to the world that we always fulfill our commitments to our partners (…) Our immediate plans include the launch of the second phase of the facility, after which the full technological production chain will be operational.”
Additionally, it was noted that the plant has already produced its first test batch of ammunition, which underwent and passed quality control inspections at the dedicated control and testing station (CTS). Upon approval, the production lines were officially inaugurated during a ceremony attended by several Venezuelan officials, including the country’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Henry Rodríguez, and Minister of Industry and National Production, Alex Saab.
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
You may also like: The Russian Armed Forces receive the first batch of new TKB-1055 anti-drone mini-missiles for their Pantsir-SMD-E air defense systems
