Soviet Union 1991

(First update just after I woke up after staying up late at work last night)

1991, Berlin Arms Show.

A masterpiece of violent aesthetics hanging with a 24-round rocket nest - the Hind gunship model and the American UH1 helicopter equipped with four 7.62mm134 machine guns. The two war products of the arms race are pointing their cold muzzles at each other. . The T72 tank assembled with composite armor looks particularly outstanding in front of the Merkava main battle tank and M60 tank, as if it is ready to crush everything in front of them at any time. There is also a rugged-style MiG-21 fighter jet parked on one side, hanging the foreign trade version of the R33 air-to-air missile, which attracted arms trade representatives from other countries to watch and admire.

There are no so-called UN arms restriction laws here, there are no placards protesting by peaceful organizations, and all sales are freely permitted. Because the leaders behind the exhibition are the five permanent members of the United Nations who collectively control the global arms trade. Those countries that often claim to be righteous are the driving forces behind genocide and regional disputes.

These international arms shows are paradises and private clubs that arms dealers dream of. Before the end of the Cold War, transactions are often cooperation between governments. All arms sales representative chairs, those arms trafficking minions who represent a country, are almost always tenured. Chairmanship.

When they trade arms, they often only need to keep one iron rule in mind, that is, do not sell weapons to the enemies of the country you represent.

If anyone pays attention, they will find a guy with messy hair in the weapons exhibition hall. He does not look like an arms dealer or a procurement representative. He looks like a wanderer looking around with a strong interest in these killing machines. .

Of course, people who know his other identity may not think so, Victor Boot. A rising star in the world of arms dealers, he suddenly turned from an unknown Russian to an international arms dealer, showing a strong talent for arms sales. With his status as a sales representative of a newly established arms foreign trade company in the Soviet Union, he almost became an international arms dealer. A deal worth US$980 million was reached within one month Yuan transactions have reached a record high, and what’s even more frightening is that Victor Bout’s business partners are almost unlimited. As long as the other party can afford the money, even if they are Colombian drug lords or Islamic religious extremist forces, he will Still willing to sit at the same table with the other person and talk about business happily, and finally shake hands and reach a consensus.

Victor's creed is that as long as the other party is not an enemy of the Soviet Union, who cares whose blood their hands are stained red?

This aggressive "interest balance disruptor" is particularly low-key. No one knows who his true identity is. Some colleagues have nicknamed him the Merchant of Death.

Victor Butt showed up at the Berlin arms show at this time, not looking for a target to hunt, but following the Soviet delegation to broaden his horizons. Yanayev did not allow Victor to intervene in these aboveboard arms transactions. Chemezov personally acted as a mediator between him and the government delegation. Yanayev once said to Victor that his trading talents should be used in black and gray income areas, rather than wasted on these false politenesses that already know the results.

Suddenly, a man with shiny combed hair stopped in front of Victor. He held up a promotional brochure in his hand and enthusiastically introduced their company's products to Victor.

"Sir, sir, I am a representative of the International Missile Defense Company. Are you interested in taking a look at our Sam 7 surface-to-air missile? It is an outdated model copied by China. It may no longer be used on modern military fighters, but it can still be used against commercial airliners. There’s more than enough to poke.”

Seeing that Victor didn't seem to be interested in the imitation SA-7 missile, he changed his mind and said, "The price is only 850 US dollars. That's right, the missile only sells for 850 US dollars. This is equivalent to giving it to you for free."

Victor tried his best to get rid of this guy's entanglement and said impatiently, "Sorry, I have no interest in buying outdated products. Please step aside." Then he pointed his finger only at the Indian delegation not far to the left. Said, "Maybe you should try recommending it to those with white hair The Indian delegation who is confused, maybe they will be happy to accept this outdated weapon, so for the sake of God, don’t bother me. What I sell to the Indian Army is the SA19 Gustonka anti-aircraft missile, not a backward one like you. It is comparable to anti-aircraft weapons that have been around for more than ten or twenty years.”

"This guy is simply incomprehensible." The sales representative, who was thirsty after talking to Victor, rolled his eyes at Victor's back. Ignore that nervous guy.

Victor paid careful attention and found that the entire arms exhibition delegation was divided into two parts. One was the circle dominated by arms dealers from various American companies, and the other was the Soviet-made weapons delegation headed by Chemezov. Just like the theme of this exhibition, NATO's war machines are displayed on the left, and the violent products of the socialist camp are displayed on the right.

Of course, there will always be some vacillating losers, and what Victor does is try his best to win over these losers and close a deal. For example, the representative of the Republic of Mozambique is still looking around. Victor mentally reviewed the pronunciation of Portuguese and then went up to him.

"Hey, my friend, how are you?" Victor's enthusiastic attitude made the other party a little confused. He stretched out his hand and shook Victor's hand politely, and asked with some confusion, "Do I know you? ?”

"Have our great socialist allies forgotten our Soviet brother?" Victor said with a smile, his polite manners were just right, and he didn't appear to be artificial at all.

"Oh? Are you from the Soviet delegation?" The representative from Mozambique was a little flattered. He didn't expect that the Russians would actually take the initiative to say hello to him. You must know that the United States has always disliked the Republic of Mozambique's purchase amount for being too small, and the weapons purchased were too low-profit, and refused to do business with it.

"Yes, my friend. My name is Victor, and I am the sales manager of the Soviet Arms Foreign Trade Company. This is my business card." Victor ignored Yanayev's advice and decided to give full play to his eloquence. .

The other party took Victor's business card and replied, "I'm Newsikal from the Mozambique delegation. Here's the deal. We plan to purchase a batch of firearms and anti-tank missiles, but many companies are not willing to accept my business. Because our offer is too low.”

"Kalashnikov rifle or RPG rocket launcher?" Victor asked. His previous experience in Africa also made him understand the exaggerated proliferation of firearms in those countries. A country where a chicken can be exchanged for a gun. How much can they afford.

"We need them all." Newsikal said cheerfully, but then his eyes dimmed, "But we can't afford the price of a rifle of 250 US dollars, and you are not willing to accept other transactions."

At this point, Victor suddenly realized that it was not that the New Seakal delegation had no money, but that other formal companies were unwilling to accept the transaction of "blood diamonds", Africa's underground common currency. But on Victor's side, all the procedures were much simpler. Even if the Colombian drug lord pays for drugs, he can exchange them for dollars in the U.S. market. Of course, the last guy who paid for drugs was chopped into pieces by the retired signal flag members who protected Victor and sent back.

Victor's unreasonableness is to let everyone know that you can only act according to my rules in front of the Soviet Union. Otherwise we dare to use thermobaric bombs to turn your base into ruins.

"Maybe not to other people, but to me, diamonds are currency that can be circulated." Victor blinked and asked, "How many akm rifles and how many RPG rocket launchers do you need? ?”

Seeing that the other party was so straightforward, Newsykal stopped hiding it, "1,500 akm rifles and 300 RPG rocket launchers. We need 200,000 rounds of bullets. How about a diamond trade?"

"Of course it's no problem." Victor readily agreed to Newcikal's request, but at the end he added, "Since your president Samora Moises Machel died in a car accident in 1986, You are somewhat unable to handle the pressure from the Mozambique Republican Front, aren't you? No matter how much military and economic assistance the outside world provides, you are still in a tug of war with the opposition. "

"That's what I say, but don't you think what Mr. Victor said interferes with our country's political system? If Mr. Victor is unwilling to do business with us, you can ignore me at worst, but there is no need to humiliate people like this. "Newsykal frowned dissatisfied, a little annoyed at Victor's humiliation.

"No, no, no, you are wrong, Newsykal." Victor smiled and patted his shoulder, "Suppose there is a paramilitary action organization that is specifically responsible for intervening in regional disputes and charging profits to settle the goals set by customers. Company, are you willing to give it a try? Of course, if you don’t feel like it, just pretend I didn’t say it, but if you agree, I can help you introduce the person in charge.”

"There is such a company?" Newsykal was a little surprised. He had previously learned that South Africa's strategic resources company used the energy of other countries as collateral to help customers deal with all enemies. Although it was effective, the results were limited due to United Nations restrictions.

As if he could see through the other person's mind, Victor approached him and said softly, "As for the United Nations, you don't have to worry about it at all. The backer of the company that uses war as a profit point is the highest leader who occupies a legal position among the permanent members of the United Nations. ”

Newsykal took a gulp of water, looked at Victor who was smiling but not smiling with an expression of disbelief, took a deep breath and said, "You mean this is a political intervention?"

"Political involvement? Oh no, my friend, you are thinking too complicated." Victor's expression was a little gloomy, and he said word by word, "This is a business, my friend."