SBU CI documented and blocked the illegal activities of officials of the Ukrainian business entity, attempting to smuggle military goods in violation of current law in the field of state export control.

According to intelligence, the organizers intended to export parts for the surface-to-air missile system “Osa-AKM” to Central Asia. These components belonged to the target reconnaissance, detection and ranging systems, as well as surveillance and tracking systems.

The Osa-AKM SAM is designed to protect troops in marching and mobile operations, including strategic ground targets, from manned and unmanned aircrafts at low and medium altitudes.

To conceal the military use of the transported goods, the employees of the entity of foreign economic activity provided documents with false information about the actual name and use of goods to the Ukrainian customs authorities as a basis for customs clearance.

Additionally, the consignor did not have any permits of the State service of export control of Ukraine stipulated by the existing law for the transfer of such goods.

SBU CI documented the officials’ illegal activities pursuant to Articles 214 and 216 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. The materials will be submitted to the pre-trial investigation body for a procedural decision to provide information into the Unified Register of pre-trial Investigations upon the fact of violation of the procedure for international transfers of goods subject to state export control.

We remind that in October 2020, SBU CI officers stopped a similar attempt to transfer the components for the Osa-AKM SAM to the Middle East. A pre-trial investigation is ongoing.