Searches in Russia over aircraft seized by Ukraine

12 February, 2024 Russian Mi-8MTV-1 helicopter. Photo from open sources Russia has opened criminal proceedings for the illegal sale of planes and helicopters abroad, in particular to Ukraine.

The Russian propaganda outlet Izvestia reported on this. As part of the proceedings on the illegal withdrawal of 59 civilian Il-76 aircraft and Mi-8 helicopters from Russian jurisdiction, searches were conducted at the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya). The relevant aircraft and helicopters were withdrawn abroad from March 2022 to June 2023.

According to the publication, the searches took place on February 7. Security forces seized "items and documents confirming the illegality of their actions" from offices of high-ranking Rosaviatsiya employees.

Il-76 of the Russian Federation Air Forces. Illustrative image

Russian security forces claim that at least three withdrawn Mi-8 helicopters entered Ukraine and took part in hostilities against the Russian invasion army as part of Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Some of these planes, including IL-76 transport aircraft, ended up in countries that the Russian government calls "unfriendly." Some of these planes were allegedly used to transport military aid to Ukraine provided by Western countries. The preliminary inspection also revealed that, among other things, Rosaviatsiya employees had been removing aircraft from the state register of civil aircraft without a complete set of documents.

In addition, they provided contradictory and unreliable information about the aircraft's stay outside of Russia. The audit also revealed the facts that employees of the Federal Air Transport Agency had not requested information from other agencies about the permits issued to aircraft owners. As previously reported, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the United States, the European Union, and a number of other countries announced that they would close the skies to Russian aircraft.

Western manufacturing companies have stopped servicing Russian aircraft and supplying spare parts.

In addition, some aircraft leasing companies have also refused to work with the Russian Federation.