Security News > 2023 > November > Feds collar suspected sanctions-busting Russian smugglers of US tech

Three Russian nationals were arrested in New York yesterday on charges of moving electronics components worth millions to sanctioned entities in Russia, pieces of which were later recovered on battlefields in Ukraine.

Components "With the same make, model and part number shipped by defendants have been found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine," the government alleged.

Misappropriated US-made parts were found in Russian radio reconnaissance equipment, electronic warfare kits, guided missiles and counter-missile systems, helicopters, UAVs, and tanks, the feds claim.

Russian entities receiving the goods included Radioavtomtika, a Moscow defense procurement firm specializing in procuring foreign-made parts for the Russian military, electronics distributor Testkomplekt, and electronics supplier EKB-Neva, all three of which are on the US's specially designated nationals list that bars them from doing any business in or with the US. "Russian companies that sought to acquire particular parts or items from the United States were relayed to Goltsev," the indictment alleges.

Per the indictment, the three were well aware that what they were doing was illegal and the parts had military applications.

Messages exchanged between Nasriddinov and Goltsev included in the indictment mention the pair being aware of increased scrutiny of shipments of the parts they were smuggling because "Ukrainians alleged that they're being bombed from parts" made by a US manufacturer they had purchased and shipped parts from.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/11/01/russian_tech_smuggling_arrests/