Gallery: Hiding in Plain Sight: In-Depth Photos Track International Weapons Deals
Mari Bastashevski01State Business II
*AN 32 and UkrOboronProm officials in charge of a liaison between Antonov and Indian Defense Ministry with a honorary diploma from the cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. From the series* State Business.
Mari Bastashevski02State Business I
*Port of Durres, Albania, from the series* State Business *(Chapter I). In 2010, Albania's state export control agency (AKSHE) issued export licenses for controlled goods to Montenegro, the Czech Republic and Yemen. However, Albania'€™s exports to Montenegro for 2010 do not match Montenegro's controlled goods reports. Albanian reports list 65,040 mortar shells exported with Montenegro as the End User. Montenegro'€™s report shows that 53,528 shells were exported to Armenia, the origin of which was Albania. In 2009 Albania exported 2.5 million dollars worth of small arms to Montenegro, but shells are not listed. Erald Dervishi, head of AKSHE, denies knowledge of any Albanian weapons going to Armenia.*
Mari Bastashevski03State Business II
*Yuzhmash Avia head office, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. From the series* State Business *(Chapter II).*
Mari Bastashevski04State Business II
*"Fundraiser, Ukraine," from the series* State Business *(Chapter II).*
Mari Bastashevski05State Business I
*"Riedbach, Switzerland. View from BT International head office," from the series* State Business *(Chapter I). Henrich Thomet co-founded Swiss arms manufacturer Brügger & Thomet in 1991. In 2005, he sold his shares to his partner and left the company. Since then he has continued brokering arms deals through Swiss-registered BT International, a family company founded more than 20 years ago. BT International currently owns Tara Group, a weapons manufacturer in Montenegro. While still at Brügger & Thomet, he created Talon, an Israeli arms exporter, together with Shmuel Avivi, Israel's defense attache in Switzerland. Avivi was later tried and convicted of breach of trust in Israel. In 2007, Thomet brokered an arms deal in which Albania sold dated Chinese ammunition to the US. Thomet has also been tied to selling arms to Zimbabwe. Thomet has been on a US Department of State watch list for potential arms traffickers since 2006, for reasons classified by the CIA.*
Mari Bastashevski06State Business II
*Excerpt from* State Business*: "... In 1951 A.M Makarov Southern Machine-Building Plant, or Yuzhmash, began designing and manufacturing military rockets and missiles. by the 1960s it was also producing space launch vehicles, becoming the soviet union’s premier space research and development center. Yuzhmash created the Soviet Union’s first nuclear armed rockets, and its first ICBMS. During the cold war such activities were classified, and Yuzhmash was billed as a manufacturer of tractors and kitchen equipment until the collapse of the Soviet Union. After the Ukraine’s independence the company has remained wholly state-owned. Yuzhmash key export markets are Russian Federation and United States."*
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*Google Earth View of Nakhichevan and Nasosnaya Airbase. From the series* State Business *(Chapter II).* Nakhichevan Airbase is a civilian airport and Azerbaijani air-force base located in an autonomous landlocked enclave with the same name. Nakhichevan is separated from mainland Azerbaijan by Armenian territory. Nakhichevan’s leader, Vasif Talibov, is related by marriage to the Aliyevs, Azerbaijan presidential family. Recently, Nakhichevan employees leaked video-tapes showing alleged illicit transferral of goods. They were subject to a military tribunal and charges of military espionage. One employee has died, his family lawyer suggests it was from torture while authorities claim it was a sudden onset of cancer. Others have since then been released while others have fled.
Mari Bastashevski08State Business II
*"Pavlograd Chemical Plant." The image shows a [RT-23 Molodet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT-23_Molodets) ballistic missile, called "Scalper" by NATO. From the series* State Business*.* Excerpt from State Business*: "... Pavlograd Mechanical Plant and Pavlograd Chemical Plant were founded before World War II but did not gain prominence until the mid 1960s when the Mechanical Plant began manufacturing solid-fuel rocket engines and the Chemical Plant began specializing in production of the solid fuel for the rockets. The location of these plants was considered a state secret during the Soviet era. Eight years ago, the Pavlograd Chemical Plant has been contracted by NATO and Ukroboronservice to participate in an ambitious demilitarization program aimed at disarming Ukraine’s surplus stocks of ammunition and anti-personnel mines."*
09State Business II
*"Yuzhmash construction and stockpile facility in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine," from the series* State Business *(Chapter II).*
Mari Bastashevski10family business- azerbaijan-2013
*"Residency compound for foreign oil investors, Baku Azerbaijan," from the series* State Business *(Chapter II).*
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*[DIA Holding](http://www.icij.org/offshore/offshore-companies-provide-link-between-corporate-mogul-and-azerbaijans-president), Baku, Azerbaijan. From an ongoing untitled series.*
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*A Facebook personal page of an "Artic Group Ltd." director, from the series* State Business *(Chapter II). Artic Group Ltd. is a Ukrainian aviation and logistics brokering company that has ties to many firms and states within Bastashevski's research.*
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*A diplomatic gathering hosted by Moroccan Embassy at the Landmark Hotel Baku, Azerbaijan, from an ongoing untitled series. OSCE mission, as well as the British and European Union Embassies, are located at the Landmark Hotel. The hotel and its business center also houses a number of large international business and is one of the locations used by the presidential family to house its honorable guests: businessmen, politicians, and journalists. When invited, all expenses are covered by Azerbaijan’s Gymnastics Federation, an organization chaired by Ilham Aliyev’s wife, Mehriban Aliyeva. The Landmark also provides lunch for British Petroleum, whose offices are located in a neighboring building.*
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*"Dragan Dabić," from the series* The Dabić
