Beretta CEO Allegedly Sat on Russian Importer Board While Weapons Reached Front Line, Investigation Claims

A June 2026 investigation by the independent Russian outlet The Insider alleges that European firearms giant Beretta Holding continued supplying weapons to Russia through sanctions-evading channels, with its own president sitting on the board of the Russian importing company during the war. The reporting claims that weapons from Beretta's subsidiaries — Benelli, Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta, and Stoeger — are now actively used by Russian military forces, not merely sold on the civilian market.

The Core Allegation: Management Control After the Invasion

The investigation's central claim is that Pietro Gussalli Beretta, President and CEO of Beretta Holding, officially served on the management board of the Russian arms importer Russkiy Oryol throughout 2022 — after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine had begun. Journalists say this demonstrates not just financial control but direct participation by European top management in running the Russian business during wartime.

Volume and Types of Weapons

According to The Insider's documentary evidence:

• In 2022 alone, Russkiy Oryol imported 3,919 firearms into Russia.
• The weapons came from three Beretta Holding subsidiaries: Benelli, Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta, and Stoeger.
• The reporting states that shipments continued despite EU sanctions, with the last known batch processed in April 2026 and received by the Russian company Kolchuga LLC.
• In the broader period from March 2022 to February 2024, Russian importers received at least 15,337 units of Western-made weapons, nearly 40% of which (6,064 units) were made by Beretta-owned companies, according to The Insider.

Use by Russian Military Forces

The Insider reports that these weapons are "now actively used by Russian military forces," moving beyond a strictly civilian or hunting-market product line.

U.S. vs. European Response

The investigation highlights a divergence in Western enforcement:

Action	Details
U.S. response	After earlier reporting in February 2024 that Beretta owned the Russian arms importer, the United States added Russkiy Oryol to its sanctions list.
European response	Despite ongoing EU sanctions, Beretta Holding's Russian partners allegedly continued receiving weapons, including a documented shipment in April 2026.

Earlier reporting from February 2024, when The Insider and Italian outlet IrpiMedia first disclosed Beretta's ownership of the Russian importer, led to U.S. sanctions against Russkiy Oryol and the arrest of several intermediaries. Yet the June 2026 investigation suggests the flow continued for years afterward.

Beretta's Defense

The provided sources do not include a detailed on-the-record denial from Beretta Holding addressing the specific claims about Pietro Gussalli Beretta's role in Russkiy Oryol or the April 2026 shipment. Earlier reporting referenced in the available sources notes that journalists had already reported in February 2024 that Beretta owned the Russian arms importer, after which the United States sanctioned Russkiy Oryol.

Bottom Line

The Insider's June 2026 investigation presents documentary claims that Beretta Holding's Russian importer brought nearly 4,000 firearms into Russia in 2022, that Beretta Holding's president was part of that importer's management during the war, that the weapons are reportedly used by Russian military forces, and that shipments continued as recently as April 2026. The United States reportedly sanctioned the Russian importer, while the cited reporting says Beretta's Russian partners continued receiving weapons despite European sanctions.