Inside the Glamorous Realm of International Arms Expos

An arms fair is not like a battlefield, but more like an oversized playground for adults. Photographer Nikita Teryoshin describes it as a place filled with wine, finger foods, and shiny weapons in his new book, "Nothing Personal: The Back Office of War."

In this setting, bodies are represented by mannequins or pixels on a screen. Machine guns and bazookas are connected to flatscreens for target practice in a computer game-like simulation. Mock battles are also staged in artificial environments for important guests like heads of states, ministers, generals, and arms dealers.

Teryoshin shared with CNN during a video call that his first experience at an arms trade fair was truly mind-blowing. He mentioned how he had grown accustomed to seeing images of war in the media, such as destroyed towns and bloodied faces of people affected by conflict. However, he was shocked by the disconnect he observed between these scenes and the actual business transactions taking place 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

Most of the time, the 37-year-old observer would witness people enjoying drinks like beer, wine, and vodka while surrounded by machine guns, creating a hardcore party atmosphere. He has been documenting the activities behind the military-industrial complex for nearly a decade.

Teryoshin has traveled to various expos around the world, including Poland, Belarus, France, Germany, South Korea, China, the UAE, Peru, Russia, Vietnam, USA, and South Africa. In his recently released book, he portrays a bizarre industry controlled by seemingly careless dealers 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-drunk mug of coffee sitting close to the edge of a table. Right beside it are dummy Python, Derby, and Spike ER missiles, each being sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Another photo shows a man in a shiny pin-stripe gray suit crawling underneath an armored vehicle. He is positioned between two large tires that seem like they could crush him at any moment.

"It shows us how mundane and normal we treat something as serious as selling weapons, almost like selling vacuum cleaners," Teroyshin expressed. "They tried to present it perfectly in a gallery-like space for the exhibition, but upon closer inspection, it's clear that it's not as clean as it seems."

Teryoshin's unique style shines through in his photographs, utilizing a flash to produce high-contrast, vivid images. Some of the shots are taken from unconventional angles, creating a sense of unease in the viewers.

The photographer has a talent for spotting the quirky and propaganda elements on display. For example, there is a striking image of a mannequin with blue eyes and red lips, dressed in a military uniform and adorned with glittery eyeshadow. Another image resembles a vintage travel poster, featuring fighter jets against a backdrop of fluffy clouds, almost as if it could say "Wish you were here" in elegant handwriting. Additionally, there is a photograph of a cardboard cutout soldier, decked out in military attire and holding a rifle, with a cartoonish mushroom cloud in the background. Teroyshin noted that in countries with more authoritarian regimes, the kitschier the displays tend to be.

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 his visit to Russia, Teryoshin explored Patriot Park, known as a "military Disneyland" where visitors can experience military activities like climbing on tanks, engaging in urban warfare simulations, and dining on military meals at the park's cafeteria. It was at this park where the photographer encountered the largest showcase of firepower he had ever seen: a simulated battlefield featuring realistic terrain and live 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 ignore the consequences of the weapons they were selling. According to Teroyshin, there was a lack of acknowledgment of the link to death and war. He pointed out that there was no visibility of blood or bodies at these events.

Teroyshin also mentioned that the only representation of the human impact he saw was a mannequin named Majid. This mannequin was used to demonstrate the effects of catastrophic medical situations, such as amputations.

Weapons companies often portray themselves as heroes, according to Teroyshin, who observed slogans during his research. For example, Kalashnikov Group, known for its affordable AK-47 rifles which have been involved in numerous global fatalities, used the slogan “70 years defending peace.” Similarly, Lockheed Martin, a major arms manufacturer, advertised with the message “We are engineering a better tomorrow.”

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 matched slogans with his own photos taken at fairs. For example, the slogan "Engineered for life" from ITT Inc is shown alongside a close-up of a mannequin with a bullet hole in its head. Another instance is the Otis Defence slogan “We believe every gun should always shoot like new. Whenever. Wherever. Forever.” which is paired with an image of three women in Islamic veils at an arms fair, with one of them pretending to hold a rifle depicted in a 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, from those for pets and agriculture to funerals. His interest in documenting these events stemmed from the proximity of his photography school in Dortmund, Germany, to an expo hall. In 2016, the photographer, who has been a resident of Germany for more than two decades, released a photo series titled "Sons and Guns," focusing on hunting fairs, before shifting his focus to arms fairs.

He initially started by capturing the faces of buyers and sellers in his photographs, but later made the decision to conceal them. Teryoshin explained, "I realized that it's not about specific individuals, but rather the underlying system that is the issue. Many people in this industry feel they have no choice but to work here in order to provide for their families."

He chose to anonymize his subjects as a symbolic representation of an industry that he describes as "questionable" and one that prefers to operate away from the spotlight.

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

Linda Åkerström, the head of policy and advocacy at the Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society, wrote an afterword for Teroyshin’s book. She shared her experience at IDEX, the largest arms fair in the Middle East, and discussed the growth of the military-industrial complex.

In her afterword, Åkerström highlighted that global military expenditure reached a record-breaking $2.2 trillion. She mentioned that spending in Central and Western Europe had exceeded levels seen "at the end of the Cold War." Additionally, she pointed out that the United States and Russia were responsible for "more than half of the world’s exports of major conventional arms from 2018-2022." Moreover, she noted that top importing states included India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Australia, and China.

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

Despite the Arms Trade Treaty being in effect since December 2014, many of the world's major exporters and importers, such as the US, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia, have yet to ratify it. According to Åkerström, this means that the international arms trade is still less regulated than the trade in bananas.

Teroyshin originally believed that weapons had no place in the world when he started his work. However, his perspective changed with the onset of the Ukraine war. He now emphasizes the importance of Ukraine's ability to defend itself and protect democracy against Putin's regime.

One salesman from BAE Systems Bofors in Sweden shared with Åkerström: “I wish for a world without weapons, but there will always be someone causing trouble. If you can’t defend yourself, you will be taken advantage of.”

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

Editor's P/S:

The article offers a haunting glimpse into the surreal world of arms fairs, where weapons of destruction are showcased like commodities at a playground. The contrast between the jovial atmosphere and the grim reality of war is striking. The author's vivid descriptions and photographs capture the disconnect between the business of selling weapons and the human suffering they can inflict.

Nikita Teryoshin's work exposes the disturbing reality of the military-industrial complex, where profit takes precedence over human lives. His photographs reveal the sanitization of war, where the consequences of weapons are hidden behind glossy marketing campaigns and simulated battles. The lack of visibility of blood and bodies in these events serves as a stark reminder of the dehumanizing nature of war.