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Kalashnikov Concern Goes After Cybergun & Russian Airsoft Stores

Gungho Cowboy

Last week, Kalashnikov Concern, the Russian company that produces various firearms, including the famous AK rifles and other weapons systems started moving to protect is intellectual properties in Russia, especially the use of the Kalashnikov name in airsoft products. Formerly known as Izhmash Concern, which is the legendary Russian defense manufacturer that the father of the AK-47 worked for, Kalashnikov concern looks like it will be making a full court press into the airsoft market.

One of its moves is to file a case against Cybergun last 3 Mach 2017 in a report filed by RAPSI, or the Russian Information Legal Agency. It says:

The firearms maker Kalashnikov Concern has filed with the Commercial Court of the Udmurt Republic a lawsuit against French company Cybergun over alleged trademark infringement, according to court records.

The plaintiff demands to recognize its right to use the labels "Калашников" and "Kalashnikov" as part of trademarks and brand names and right to use the name of M. T. Kalashnikov in economic activity. Kalashnikov Concern also asked court to declare the defendant’s actions illegal.

The court will consider the case on March 13.

It is the second in the legal headaches of Cybergun as they got sued in the U.S.A. by Sig Sauer for breach of contract in 2015 such as failure to remit royalty payments. Sig Sauer wants to put a stop to the use of its name in airsoft products made by Cybergun, as well as recall all Sig Sauer airsoft products  and remaining inventory for destruction.

For the Russian airsoft market, Kalashnikov Concern has been going after Russian stores, as posted by Marty Airsoft on Facebook:

It has been known for years now that Kalashnikov Concern has been eyeing the airsoft market. In fact, five years ago, under the old Izhmash Concern name, that they planned on producing an AK-74M AEG, and actually manufacturing it rather that outsource it to another company in the Far East. But we have not heard much about it afterwards perhaps due to other pressing concerns in the defense industry where it faces obstacles in exporting to the West due to sanctions placed caused by the Russian occupation of Crimea and supporting rebels in Eastern Ukraine. Another is the hiccup of transfer of the Kalashnikov name as before the rights to the name belonged to the family of the AK-47’s inventor which they won in a court case last April 2016, paving the way for the company to fully maximize the use of the Kalashnikov name.

We still do not know how Kalashnilov Concern will approach the airsoft market as there are no clear announcements from the company regarding its actions on the Russian airsoft market. Will it further enforce the use of its trademarks in other countries outside Russia? For now, those who have much to worry about is Cybergun and the Russian airsoft businesses.

 

Top photo: Kalashnikov Concern Building (Photo Credit: Kalashnikov Concern)

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