Gambiaj.com – (KIEV, Ukraine) – Ukrainian authorities have announced the dismantling of an alleged arms trafficking network accused of supplying weapons to individuals close to the Kremlin in a sweeping investigation that has drawn international attention.
In a statement released Tuesday, investigators in Kyiv said the network had provided arms to a range of high-profile figures, including North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
The list also controversially includes American actor Steven Seagal.
According to Ukrainian police, some of the weapons originated from territories in Ukraine currently occupied by Russian forces. Authorities allege that the arms were covertly transported, modified, and redistributed through clandestine channels. Among the equipment identified were Glock pistols reportedly altered for combat use.
Investigators further claim that the weapons were either resold to criminal networks or transferred to illegal armed groups operating in various regions.
Ukrainian officials said some of the arms were presented as “honorary gifts” by Denis Pushilin, head of the Russian-installed administration in the Donetsk region. This, they say, explains the inclusion of Steven Seagal among the alleged beneficiaries.
Seagal, who was granted Russian citizenship in 2016 by President Vladimir Putin, has maintained close ties with Moscow in recent years. In 2018, he was appointed as a special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for humanitarian relations with the United States.
The investigation, dubbed “Black Channel,” was launched in January and has already resulted in several arrests, carried out with the assistance of Polish authorities.
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies reported that coordinated searches across multiple regions led to the seizure of assault rifles, machine guns, ammunition, technical documentation, and a light armored vehicle.
Officials added that the operation is ongoing, with support from the European Union’s law enforcement agency, Europol.
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