"I think, the main trend [in this sphere] is the establishment of an effective system of internal control," Sergei Ivanov, who is also deputy prime minister, told a news conference.
"The state cannot control hundreds of thousands of companies on its own," the minister said. "There are small and medium-size businesses, or "ghost" businesses that are set up specifically to conduct illegal export operations, and they are, of course, very hard to control."
But he said Russia's security services, including the Federal Security Service (FSB), had been increasing their efforts in this sphere.
A senior FSB official said earlier Friday that the service had completed about 60 cases against Russians, foreigners and firms that were interested in technologies for the production of weapons of mass destruction.
