sBU: "Dealer" tried to sell ship artillery of the Defense Forces to Russia

The Security Service of Ukraine exposed a "dealer" suspected of attempting to export critical components for shipboard artillery systems from Ukraine. About this reports sBU press service.

According to law enforcement, these are artillery systems of various types, from six-barreled AO-18 assault rifles to universal AK-176M systems worth almost $1.5 million.

Such weapons are used on warships to engage high-speed targets at short distances, including drones and cruise missiles.

According to the investigation, the deal involved a Mykolaiv businessman who illegally seized the weapons in question during a full-scale war.

To smuggle the weapons, the man placed them in special containers that looked like water heaters.

"To disguise the deal, the detainee planned to transport combat systems to affiliated companies in the EU and Southeast Asia, and from there to the aggressor country," the SBU said.

To do this, he entered into fictitious contracts with foreign-controlled companies.

SBU officers exposed the man at the stage of preparation for the export of defense products and detained him.

During searches of his warehouses and offices, they seized the goods:

→ artillery systems in specially manufactured containers;

→ additional components for military boats;

→ contracts with foreign enterprises.

The seized weapons will be transferred to the needs of the Defense Forces.

SBU investigators served the detainee a notice of suspicion of preparing to smuggle weapons, committed by a group of people.

The man is in custody. He faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

• In June, the SBU detained a "dealer" in Odesa who wanted to buy secret developments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• on September 22, the SBU reported the detention of FSB agents who supplied Ukrainian SIM cards to Russia for kamikaze drones.