SBU Detains Heads of Industrial Giant Motor Sich Suspected of Supplying Military Goods for Russian Aviation

Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have detained Vyacheslav Bohuslayev, the president of the Ukrainian enterprise Motor Sich JSC, and the chief of the Foreign Economic Activity Department, the SBU press service reports.

They have been notified of suspicion of crimes under two Articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: collaboration and aiding the aggressor state. The detention took place in the framework of the criminal proceedings on illegal supply by Motor Sich of military goods for Russia’s assault aviation.

“According to the investigation, the leadership of the plant located in Zaporizhzhia was involved in the unlawful deals. The officials acted in collusion with close to Kremlin representatives of the Russian corporation Rostec, one of the major manufacturers of weapons for the Russian armed forces,” the report says.

The suspected officials established transnational channels of illegal supply of wholesale consignments of Ukrainian aircraft engines to the aggressor state. The occupiers used the goods for the production and repair of Russian attack helicopters of the following types: Mi-8AMTSh-VN Sapsan, KA-52 Alligator, and Mi-28N Night Hunter.

These models of army aviation were massively used by the invaders for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This is confirmed by numerous facts about the destruction of these enemy combat helicopters.

“To circumvent the established restrictions on trade with Russia, the organisers of the scheme used commercial entities under their control in three countries in the Middle East, Europe, and East Asia. These companies sent ‘orders’ to the Ukrainian manufacturer supposedly for the needs of a foreign party. However, after receiving the military goods, the ‘intermediaries’ sent them to Russia. The enemy also used its foreign accomplices to maintain and repair Russian aircraft using Ukrainian spare parts,” the SBU press service noted.

In the course of the investigation, the SBU identified all organisers of the deals, documented their criminal activities, and is now taking steps to bring the involved to justice.

Bohdan Marusyak