Russian fan celebrates world cup win over Spain with AK-47

An AK-47 was confiscated in the German town of Essen as a German citizen with Russian heritage celebrated Russia's round-of-16 defeat of Spain at the 2018 World Cup, local police have confirmed.

The 39-year-old is now facing charges for violation of the Kriegswaffenkontrollgesetz, the War Weapons Control Act, an offence punishable with a prison term of up to five years under German law.

After Russia advanced to the quarterfinals of their home World Cup with a penalty-shootout defeat of Spain, eye witnesses in Essen had reported a white Mercedes driving on one of the main streets of Germany's ninth-largest city.

The witnesses reported an unknown man not only displaying a Russia flag but also a rifle.