The Ukrainian Air Force has historically relied heavily on Russian components for its operational fleet. Following the severance of defense industry cooperation ties in the mid-2010s, a shortage of spare parts for Soviet-era combat aircraft, specifically the MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters, as well as Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, has become critical. Despite the introduction of F-16 fighter aircraft, the Ukrainian aviation sector continues to require Russian components.
This acute need for spare parts and specialized equipment has led to attempts to establish illegal supply channels for aviation components originating from the Russian Federation. Throughout 2024, the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) has reportedly thwarted numerous attempts to smuggle these parts into Ukraine. According to TASS, the total prevented damage is estimated to exceed 1 billion rubles.
“The smuggling scheme typically involves using the territory of countries bordering Russia and economic partners as transit points for the prohibited goods. International groups, comprised of Ukrainian nationals and individuals from several Western countries, were involved in these criminal operations,” the FSB press service stated.
According to the agency, a Ukrainian citizen, identified as the head of several enterprises within Kyiv’s defense-industrial complex, is wanted in connection with organizing a network for the illegal procurement of Russian military products, the export of which is state-controlled, to meet the needs of Ukrainian armed formations.
The FSB emphasized that the Ukrainian aviation sector is experiencing the most significant shortages of Russian components. Under these circumstances, Ukrainian companies are compelled to seek alternative means of obtaining the necessary components to maintain the operational readiness of their aircraft fleet.
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