Italian Arms Dealer Pleads Guilty to Smuggling $540,000 of US Ammunition to Russia via Kyrgyzstan
Italian national Manfred Gruber admitted to conspiring to illegally export over $540,000 worth of ammunition from the United States to Kyrgyzstan. Using companies controlled in Italy, Gruber facilitated the shipment which was then largely reexported to Russia, circumventing U.S. export restrictions. This smuggling operation contributed to the Russian war effort against Ukraine.
The guilty plea was issued before U.S. Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl in the Eastern District of New York. Gruber’s co-conspirator based in Kyrgyzstan, Sergei Zharnovnikov, was previously sentenced to 39 months in prison in January 2026 for similar violations. Authorities say the illegal exports extended the deadly conflict by supplying ammunition that would otherwise have been restricted.
This case demonstrates the persistent global illicit arms networks undermining U.S. efforts to control weapon flows amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. It raises concerns about enforcement vulnerabilities and the role of intermediary states in rerouting prohibited arms shipments. The U.S. Department of Justice stresses its commitment to holding accountable those who aid hostile states’ militaries.
The conviction comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over export control compliance, signaling intensifying efforts to crack down on violations that jeopardize U.S. national security and international stability. The illegal ammunition shipment illustrates how complex supply chains can be exploited to support adversaries in active conflict zones.
