Russia Builds Ammunition Plant in Venezuela to Produce 70 Million Rounds Annually

– I’ve repeatedly warned that Venezuela is the beachhead BRICS is using for future destabilization operations in the US. I was the first to break the story years ago about the Russian AK factory and ammunition production facility. And through the grapevine it has in fact hit our side of the southern border. It just didn’t make it into the news. Hope Trump Slump was good to all of you who checked out after last November. -NCS

Dariia Mykhailenko via United 24

Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport has completed the first phase of a new ammunition plant in Venezuela, designed to produce 7.62 mm cartridges for Kalashnikov assault rifles, Russian state conglomerate Rostec announced on July 2.

The facility, now partially operational, features four production lines. Two are designated for steel-core bullets, while the others will manufacture tracer and blank rounds. According to the announcement, the plant is already capable of producing tens of thousands of rounds per shift, with an annual output projected to reach 70 million cartridges.

A test program conducted at a dedicated inspection station reportedly confirmed the ammunition meets the stated performance standards.

The project marks a significant step toward establishing a full-cycle production capability on Venezuelan soil. Rosoboronexport’s executive director noted that the remaining production buildings will be commissioned soon.

In addition to the main manufacturing lines, the plant has launched a waste disposal facility, intermediate storage for ammunition components, and a 210-meter firing range for testing tracer rounds. Auxiliary infrastructure, including a fire reservoir, is also in place.

Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheev acknowledged the project faced major logistical and technical challenges due to international sanctions imposed on both Russia and Venezuela. The manufacturing lines and commissioning efforts were carried out by the Koshkin Design Bureau of Automatic Lines.

“For Rosoboronexport, the construction of the ammunition plant in Venezuela came with serious challenges, including sanctions pressure on both countries. Despite these objective constraints, together with Rostec, we carried out this complex infrastructure project and demonstrated to the world that we always fulfill our commitments to our partners,” said Alexander Mikheev.

“With the launch of the plant’s first phase, Venezuela’s defense capability has grown significantly: the facility can already produce up to 70 million cartridges per year. Our immediate plans include completing the second phase, which will enable a full technological production cycle.”

Earlier, it was reported that price tags for Russian civilian aircraft have surged by up to 70% over the past two years, even though most models have yet to enter serial production or achieve significant demand on the global market.