PATRIOT PARK /Moscow Region/, August 11. /TASS/. The Kalashnikov firearms manufacturer has sufficient capacities to fulfil the Defense Ministry’s order for the delivery of AK-12K assault rifles and RPL-20 hand-held machine guns to Russian troops, Kalashnikov Group CEO Alan Lushnikov said on Monday.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on July 11 that Defense Minister Andrey Belousov had set the task to work on the possibility jointly with the Kalashnikov Group to boost the delivery of new small arms both to Airborne Force units and assault teams of all the Russian battlegroups operating in the special military operation area in Ukraine.
"Indeed, AK-12K assault rifles and RPL-20 machine guns are our two new products that have entered the theater of military operations very actively now and become available to the Battlegroup Dnepr… Our capacities are sufficient to fulfil the order that we are now discussing with the Defense Ministry. Therefore, the entire issue consists in the timeframe when the customer will make the corresponding decision," the chief executive said.
A large batch of AK-12K assault rifles has arrived for Battlegroup Dnepr forces that are now using these weapons, he added.
"I was there [in the area of responsibility of the Battlegroup Dnepr] and saw everything myself and discussed issues with the commander. This is such a good weapon that has proved to be very much in demand, it is compact and light and is capable of accomplishing combat missions. The same refers to the RPL-20 machine gun. This is a very light and compact assault machine gun that helps achieve a very good density of fire," Lushnikov said.
As reported by Russia’s Defense Ministry on July 11, Battlegroup Dnepr Commander Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky reported to Defense Minister Belousov about the operational evaluation of a batch of 5.45mm AK-12K assault rifles and RPL-20 machine guns developed by the Kalashnikov Group, taking into account the recommendations by servicemen fighting in the special military operation area.
The improved combat properties of advanced small arms proved to be especially efficient in assault operations thanks to their ergonomics, increased precision, accuracy of fire and reliability, the ministry reported.