Russia has sold 59 aircraft abroad, some of the Mi-8 helicopters and an Il-76 airplane will end up in Ukraine – rosmedia
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Rosaviatsiya has illegally sold 60 aircraft abroad. As a result, three Mi-8 helicopters and an Il-76 airplane were sent to Ukraine, according to the Russian media.
The FSB accused Rosaviatsiya of illegally exporting nearly 60 airplanes and helicopters from Russia. Some of the flights ended up in “unfriendly countries”. This was reported by the Izvestia newspaper, citing interlocutors.
Rosaviatsiya illegally sold 59 aircraft, eight of which went to “unfriendly countries,” from early March 2022 to June 2023. Media sources noted that after that, three Russian helicopters allegedly fought on the side of Ukraine.
“The Federal Security Service has opened two criminal cases – on negligence and abuse of power – against several Rosaviatsia employees. They are suspected of having illegally withdrawn 59 airplanes and helicopters from Russian jurisdiction after the start of the JFO,” the statement said.
Russian aircraft during the war in Ukraine
According to the journalists’ source, several illegally deregistered and exported aircraft were used by the Ukrainian Air Force during the full-scale war. We are talking about Il-76 airplanes and Mi-8 helicopters.
“Three helicopters took part in the hostile air strike, and the Il-76 flew with the defendants’ radar switched off,” Russian media reported.
In particular, the defendants’ disconnection allows them to conceal information about the routes the ship uses to transport cargo.
Strategic importance of the IL-76
According to former Russian military pilot and former Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation Oleg Smirnov, the Il-76 is of strategic importance during armed conflicts. The aircraft has a long flight range. It is operated by a civilian airline, but it can also be quickly converted to transport large quantities of military cargo and hundreds of soldiers.
On January 3, Defense Express editor-in-chief Oleh Katkov said that Russian planes should be destroyed on the ground to reduce the intensity of missile attacks.
