the issue is not this, but the cold weapons laws that date to communist times.. the customs officers and postal workers know this game well and it is a game they play often. to send an item out is easier than sending it in. sending it out maybe one package of swords could cost you.. well 5000rbles (60-80$ well its falling fast now so the price has changed im sure.. and maybe now can be a huge problem) to ensure if leaves. that is several swords in a package.. but the issue is if the crooks in the post discouver it is an antique item of value .. well they can just seize and steal it. where as a modern made sword they probably will all run smoothly thanks to the little bribe.
but if the antique isn't of great value. it is all smooth with such payment.. but id not risk it on anything of real value.
in russia all "combative" knives.. daggers, swords ect are classed as cold weapons and cant be imported or exported wihtout some headache.
or even legall purchased.
theres some great products in russia but its just a nightmare to buy them.
this is how in effect the economy of russia is strangled due to layer upon layer of corrupt government angency that preys upon you. so even the making of swords is classed in the same way like to make guns.. its madness. you need a licence for the production and each item must be numbered and the record retained, and so forth.. the supplies actuially to many everyday products in russia as it did during communisim.. even simple things and not swords birng the manufacturer a swarm of taxes, fees bribes and such
the russian government is so concerned about the "environment" that factories are beset by armies of "environmental enforcement agents" checkign always that the environment is "pristine" ect.. so you make some plastic product or some house paint or whatever and theyer already on your hump id say cut your losses and avoid such headaches with buying cold weapons form russia unless youve got a foolproof way like a diplomatic bag and a friend in an embassy
i might add inactuial fact in china there is almost the same laws, but the system ther eis so chaotic and informal that generally nobody notices, knows or cares with some items.. but other items are a big nono. nothing is checked when you send things and if its not checked when you get it and not stolen in transit nobody will look at it but in actial fact fixed blade knvies, swords ect are classed as leathal weapons or weapons of war ect in china and are quite highly illegal. this is why you dont see online sellers of tibetian swords or swords from other groups there and why you wont see even in china much info on these. even sending them in chinese post is an additional crime ontop of owning and then selling them. but at various times nobody pays heed of it at other times its a prison sentence.. the dai/thai ethnic groups in china make and sell swords openly. but you wont see them for sale online or in the hands of people outside thier region.. but meanwhile you can buy many junk katanas from longquan now in china on varous selling platfroms.. different rules for different regions and different ethnic groups and different times.. but even with the modern just swords like in longquan sometimes there is a crackdown and these companies are all severly shaken down for cash and online selling at a national level is disrupted. but youll never find a tibetian or husa or bonan ect sword sold online or if you do its at an insane.. totally insane price.. some of these things are 10$-20$ from the hands of the maker.. and the seller might in the chiens emarket sell it for 500$ because the cvhinese population who woudl like to buy it its rare.. and they cant imagine a way how to ever even see one or buy one in a regular market.
i know this isnt much associated to sending items out of russia, but i guess its a similar issue and its why you dont see russian sellers offering their items internationally.
theres afew guys on ebay that can send cold weapons form russia that have connecitons in russian post that will do it for a fee. but apart form that its really hard.