The Security Service of Ukraine exposed and blocked a large-scale mechanism for the supply of military aviation equipment of defense enterprises to Russia.

Within the framework of a complex operation, intelligence agencies established that more than 20 participants were involved in the scheme. The organizers engaged private companies, including dummy ones, in Ukraine, the EU countries and in Russia. Among the group members were, in particular, representatives of criminal circles involved in smuggling.

According to the details of dummy Ukrainian and Russian commercial firms, the businessmen bought military products at Ukroboronprom enterprises. Allegedly, the suspects involved the officials of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine responsible for the so-called "military reception". Then they smuggled illegally purchased military products to Russia outside the customs control points.

The organizers of the fraud also conducted fictitious foreign economic activity. The military products of Ukroboronprom enterprises, with the registration of all necessary permits, were officially transferred to the EU countries, where they were re-exported to Russia with counterfeit documents.

During the special operation, the Security Service of Ukraine detained one of the active participants of the criminal group on the territory of the Dvorichany district of Kharkiv region during an attempt to illegally move military goods outside the customs control points. Law enforcement officers seized 11 electromagnetic devices used as components toRussian aviation equipment and 64 infrared cartridges designed to protect Russian aircraft from guided.

More than 30 searches were conducted at offices and residences of those involved in the case, places of storage of military goods in the territory of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions. During investigative actions, military products, offshore and dummy companies' documents, bank payment cards, as well as the money obtained by illegal means were seized.

The investigators of the SBU in Kharkiv region have served notices of suspicion to two members of the group under Part 2 of Art. 201 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The notices of suspicion to other members of the group are being prepared under Articles 263, 333, 201 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The investigation is ongoing.

The operation was conducted by the Main Directorate for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime of the Security Service of Ukraine jointly with SBU Office in Kharkiv region under the supervision of Prosecutor’s Office of Kharkiv region.