Exploring the Extravagant Realm of International Arms Expos

An arms fair is not like a battlefield despite the presence of war-related items. According to photographer Nikita Teryoshin, it is more like an adult playground with wine, finger foods, and shiny weapons. In his new book "Nothing Personal: The Back Office of War," he describes the atmosphere at these events.

Teryoshin notes that at arms fairs, bodies are represented by mannequins or pixels on a screen. Weapons like machine guns and bazookas are connected to flatscreens for shooting targets in a computer game-like simulation. Mock battles are also organized in artificial settings for important guests such as heads of states, ministers, generals, and arms dealers.

"It was mind-blowing," Teryoshin shared with CNN during a video call as he reminisced about his initial experience at an arms trade fair. These fairs exhibit and sell military, security, and policing equipment.

The Russian photographer explained that he was accustomed to witnessing war images in the media - demolished towns, bloodied faces of conflict victims. However, he was shocked by the disparity between these scenes and the profit-driven transactions occurring behind the scenes.

A model of a Swedish Bofors naval gun is the backdrop to a colorful buffet at the MSPO fair in Kielce, Poland in 2016.

A model of a Swedish Bofors naval gun is the backdrop to a colorful buffet at the MSPO fair in Kielce, Poland in 2016.

Nikita Teryoshin

Fair attendees pictured in front of a battle tank model at the SITDEF fair in Lima, Peru in 2019.

Fair attendees pictured in front of a battle tank model at the SITDEF fair in Lima, Peru in 2019.

Nikita Teryoshin

"I often see people drinking beer, wine, and vodka next to machine guns, really having a hardcore drinking party," said the 37-year-old. He has spent almost ten years documenting what happens behind the scenes of the military-industrial complex.

Teryoshin has witnessed weapons being sold and tested at expos around the world, including Poland, Belarus, France, Germany, South Korea, China, the UAE, Peru, Russia, Vietnam, USA, and South Africa. His recently released book portrays an absurd industry run by seemingly careless merchants of destruction.

Dummy Python, Derby and Spike ER missiles on show at the 2020 DEFEXPO in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Dummy Python, Derby and Spike ER missiles on show at the 2020 DEFEXPO in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Nikita Teryoshin

In one photo, there is a half-finished mug of coffee placed close to the edge of a table. Not far away are dummy Python, Derby, and Spike ER missiles being sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars each. Another photo shows a man in a shiny pin-stripe gray suit crawling under an armored vehicle, squeezed between two large tires that seem like they could easily crush him.

Teroyshin expressed his thoughts on the banality of evil and the unsettling reality of selling weapons as if they were everyday household items. He noted the stark contrast between the polished appearance of the exhibition space and the disturbing details he captured in his photographs.

Using his unique style, Teroyshin employed a flash to create high-contrast, vivid images that were often taken from unconventional angles, leaving viewers with a sense of unease.

The photographer has a talent for spotting quirky and propaganda imagery. For example, there is a photograph of a mannequin with blue eyes and red lips dressed in a military uniform and sparkly eyeshadow. Another image resembles a vintage travel poster with fighter jets and fluffy clouds, giving off a "Wish you were here" vibe. And then there's a cardboard cutout soldier in full military attire, holding a rifle with a cartoonish mushroom cloud in the background. Teroyshin noted that in countries with more authoritarian regimes, the kitschier the displays become.

Fairgoers wait for a shuttle to a live demonstration site during the 2019 Army military expo held in Alabino, Russia.

The Indian army's photo stand at DEFEXPO in 2020. The soldier is equipped with a Kalashnikov rifle and wears a Russian uniform.

Nikita Teryoshin

A visitor to IDEX 2019 in Abu Dhabi sits on a ferry, watching jet fighters, helicopters and cargo aircraft fly low.

A shot of the reception at the 2016 MSPO expo, the biggest arms fair in Eastern Europe. The Tiger helicopter in the background had just returned from a mission in Mali.

Nikita Teryoshin

During a visit to Patriot Park in Russia, Teryoshin experienced an arms fair at the park, which is known as a "military Disneyland." Visitors are invited to explore tanks, take part in urban warfare simulations, and even enjoy military meals at the park's canteen. It was at this event where the photographer witnessed the largest showcase of firepower he had ever seen: a simulated battlefield featuring realistic terrain and actual rockets.

“It was the only (arms fair I’d been to) where they were shooting real rockets over 20 kilometers (12 miles) maybe,” said Teroyshin.

At the 2018 Eurosatory expo in Paris, France, arms company CTA demonstrates their fire power on an aluminium sheet.

Fairgoers wait for a shuttle to a live demonstration site during the 2019 Army military expo held in Alabino, Russia.

Nikita Teryoshin

The photographer noticed that salespeople at arms fairs seemed to avoid acknowledging the harmful consequences of the weapons they sell. According to Teroyshin, there is a lack of connection to the realities of death and war. He pointed out that there is no visible representation of blood or bodies at these fairs. Instead, the only glimpse of the human impact he saw was a mannequin named Majid, which was used to demonstrate the effects of catastrophic injuries.

Weapons companies are trying to portray themselves as heroes, according to Teroyshin. He observed slogans such as "70 years defending peace" by Kalashnikov Group, known for their AK-47 rifles, and "We are engineering a better tomorrow" by Lockheed Martin, one of the largest arms manufacturers in the world.

Entering the back office of the Israeli Elbit Systems stand at the 2019 SITDEF expo in Lima, Peru.

A visitor to IDEX 2019 in Abu Dhabi sits on a ferry, watching jet fighters, helicopters and cargo aircraft fly low.

Nikita Teryoshin

In his book, Teroyshin has cleverly juxtaposed slogans with his own images captured at fairs. One example is the slogan from manufacturing firm ITT Inc, “Engineered for life,” which is matched with a close-up image of a mannequin with a bullet hole in its head.

Another striking pairing is the slogan from Otis Defence, “We believe every gun should always shoot like new. Whenever. Wherever. Forever.” This slogan is linked with an image of three women wearing Islamic veils at an arms fair. One of the women is playfully pretending to hold a rifle, as depicted in the poster in front of her.

A mannequin wearing a military uniform and glittery eyeshadow found at one of the fairs Teryoshin visited.

At the 2018 Eurosatory expo in Paris, France, arms company CTA demonstrates their fire power on an aluminium sheet.

Nikita Teryoshin

Demonstration of a tactical throwable robot at the 2016 MSPO expo in Kielce, Poland. The counterterrorism device is used to carry out reconnaissance operations.

Entering the back office of the Israeli Elbit Systems stand at the 2019 SITDEF expo in Lima, Peru.

Nikita Teryoshin

Teryoshin started capturing various trade fairs such as those for pets, agriculture, and funerals. This interest stemmed from the location of his photography school in Dortmund, Germany, which was situated next to an expo hall. In 2016, the photographer, who has been residing in Germany for more than 20 years, released a photo series titled “Sons and Guns” focusing on hunting fairs, before shifting his focus to arms fairs.

He initially captured images of buyers and sellers, showcasing their faces. However, he later decided to conceal their identities. Teryoshin explained, "I realized it's not about specific individuals, but rather the problematic system behind it. Many will say, 'We have to work here to support our families.'"

He also chose to anonymize his subjects as a symbolic representation of an industry that is perceived as "shady" and prefers to operate discreetly.

An officer watches an airshow by the "Black Eagles" air force team flying KAI T-50B Golden Eagle jets at the 2017 ADEX exhibition in Seoul, South Korea.

Nikita Teryoshin

Saudi visitors watching the air show during the 2019 IDEX expo in Abu Dhabi.

Nikita Teryoshin

On one of the final pages of the book, Linda Åkerström, the head of policy and advocacy at the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, wrote a concluding note about her experience at IDEX, the largest arms fair in the Middle East, and the expansion of the military-industrial complex.

She mentioned that global military spending reached a staggering $2.2 trillion, with Central and Western Europe surpassing Cold War levels. The United States and Russia were identified as the main contributors to over half of the world's exports of major conventional arms between 2018 and 2022. Importing states, such as India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Australia, and China, were among the top spenders in this industry.

A mannequin wearing a military uniform and glittery eyeshadow found at one of the fairs Teryoshin visited.

Nikita Teryoshin

Demonstration of a tactical throwable robot at the 2016 MSPO expo in Kielce, Poland. The counterterrorism device is used to carry out reconnaissance operations.

Nikita Teryoshin

Åkerström noted that despite the Arms Trade Treaty being in effect since December 2014, many major exporters and importers like the US, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia have yet to ratify it. He emphasized that the international arms trade is still less regulated compared to the trade in bananas.

Teroyshin shared that when he first started his work, he believed that weapons had no place in the world. However, his perspective changed with the onset of the Ukraine war. He now believes it is crucial for Ukraine to have the ability to defend itself and uphold democracy in the face of Putin's regime.

One salesman from BAE Systems Bofors in Sweden expressed to Åkerström, "I wish for a world without weapons, but there will always be someone dangerous. If you can't defend yourself, you'll end up getting hurt."

You can find "Nothing Personal: The Back Office of War" by Gost available for purchase now.

Editor's P/S:

The article presents a thought-provoking exploration of the stark contrast between the business of war and its devastating human consequences. Nikita Teryoshin's photographs capture the surreal atmosphere of arms fairs, where weapons of destruction are showcased as commodities, devoid of their intended purpose. The juxtaposition of mannequins and pixels with mock battles and real rockets highlights the disconnect between the polished exhibition space and the grim reality of war.

Teryoshin's work exposes the banality of evil, as weapons are sold and tested with a nonchalance that belies their potential for harm. The absence of blood and bodies in these fairs further underscores the disconnect between the industry's profits and the human suffering it perpetuates. The arms trade is portrayed as a shadowy world, where salespeople avoid acknowledging the consequences of their actions and companies attempt to portray themselves as heroes. Teryoshin's images serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for greater regulation and transparency in the international arms trade, as well as the importance of holding those responsible for the devastating effects of war accountable.