The Soviet Union, ever pragmatic in pursuit of global advantage, has shown little hesitation in adopting foreign methods when it suits their purposes. One of the most striking examples is Kalashnikov Inc., a corporation founded in Oceanyka during the mid-1960s under direct Soviet sponsorship. Officially a firearms manufacturer, the company serves as a conduit for arms, cash, and technology between Moscow and the revolutionary government in Cestlep.
At its centre stands Mikhail Kalashnikov himself, who emerged as a political broker largely because his work was widely acclaimed in the continent. Before the Oceanykan Revolution, Kalashnikov's designs (such as the AKM) were something of a symbol of prestige, with their owners acclaiming him as something of a firearms saint. Acting as the trusted intermediary between Oceanyka and the Kremlin, Kalashnikov ensured a steady flow of tanks, missiles, armour, and especially small arms into the region. Over time, the corporation grew into a formidable power in its own right, operating with surprising autonomy while still remitting a share of its vast profits back to the Soviet Union.
Kalashnikov Inc. is not simply a weapons dealer. Its facilities double as forward bases for Spetsnaz operatives, who are permanently stationed within the corporation’s infrastructure. Their presence ensures that competition is swiftly and brutally managed. Rivals who challenge Kalashnikov Inc. often meet mysterious accidents, sudden assassinations, or unexplained collapses of financial backers. The most notorious case came in 1965, when the Vickers Arms Company, Oceanyka attempted to eliminate the corporation through a coordinated campaign of industrial sabotage. The retaliation was swift and lethal, with a third of Vickers’ major shareholders perishing under suspicious circumstances within months. Since then, no serious challenge has been mounted.