"The Federal Security Service of Russia has identified and stopped the illegal activity of an international group of individuals involved in the preparation of the smuggling of aviation equipment abroad, including to Ukraine. It has been established that it included six participants from among citizens of Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East," the FSB said in a statement.
The group of smugglers purchased new components for Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters worth more than 400 million rubles ($5.1 million) at the request of foreign organizations, which would have been enough to repair at least four such machines, the statement read.