Russia Fines Central Bank for Weapons Storage Violations

A Russian court has fined the country’s Central Bank for incorrectly placing firearms in storage.

According to evidence presented to the court, the case arose from two violations discovered in November 2023 and April 2024, in which firearms from Russia’s Sberbank’s security service and the private security company Region Profi were found in the Central Bank building during inspections by the National Guard of Russia (Rosgvardiya).

Russian news outlet RBC Russia estimated the fines to be anywhere between 300,000 rubles ($3,268) and 500,000 rubles ($5,448).

The Central Bank pleaded not guilty to the charges, arguing that it holds permits for weapons storage, and the arms in question – which included at least two small-caliber Makarov pistols – were only present inside the facility for two hours during Rosgvardiya’s inspections.

A draft law submitted in July 2024 was supposed to grant the Central Bank personnel, including the deputy chairmen and their advisers, department directors and their deputies, the right to carry certain models of pistols and automatic rifles, though the initiative was awaiting public feedback and pending approval since August 2024.

At present, only employees of the security units of the Central Bank and the Central Storage Facility are permitted carry weapons, RBC Russia reported in July 2024.

Russia’s Central Bank has been at odds with the country’s business elite in recent months as it sought to boost interest rates to combat high inflation and keep the Russian economy in check, while those elites criticized the move as an obstacle to economic growth.

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However, it is unclear if the latest fines were related to the ongoing disputes.