The Lefortovo District Court arrested foreigners suspected of attempting to illegally export components for combat aircraft and helicopters to Europe (Part 3 of Article 30 of the Criminal Code; Part 3 of Article 226.1 of the Criminal Code). This was reported to RIA Novosti by the press service of the FSB.
The security forces specified that the suspects were “natives of Ukraine and one of the republics of Central Asia”, their exact number is unknown. According to the prosecution, foreigners «on a permanent basis» purchased and repaired components and assemblies of combat aircraft and helicopters in Russia, and then sent them to Europe. The FSB claims that among the customers of the alleged smugglers was the Ukrainian army.
Where exactly the foreigners were detained is unknown. According to the security forces, during the search, they seized “100 products for military aviation equipment”, “documentary materials on the participation of detainees in the organization of repair and restoration work in relation to components for Ukrainian military aircraft and helicopters”, as well as money — 117 thousand dollars and 59 thousand euros. On the footage of the operational video from the detention of men, packs of rubles are confiscated from them.
A year ago, the FSB reported on the arrest of a Russian and two Chinese citizens in a similar smuggling case. According to the security forces, the man planned to send an engine element of a military aircraft abroad.