The channel for the supply of spare parts for the Tor air defense system to Ukraine was opened

The smuggler has already been sentenced

The Basmanny Court of Moscow issued a verdict in the case of the smuggling of components for the Tor anti-aircraft missile system. This formidable weapon is actively used during the NMD by both sides. Until February 2022, Ukraine declared its intention to revive the anti-aircraft missile systems inherited from the USSR. For a long time they were mothballed due to the lack of spare parts, including magnetrons. It was the smuggling of these parts that an ordinary businessman, the father of two children, took up in Moscow.

As it became known to “MK”, we are talking about Adil Arakelov (surname changed). He lived in the metropolitan district of Chertanovo, at his home address he registered a company for the construction of residential and non-residential buildings, which had a working capital of 10 thousand rubles and actually did not conduct any activity. At the end of 2020, a seller from the Mitinsky market approached Arakelov – he asked if the merchant could help him purchase Mi-381 magnetrons. The man explained that in the future the devices would be sent to Azerbaijan.

REFERENCE “MK”

Magnetron is a special electronic device that is designed to work as a microwave energy generator in special-purpose radio equipment, for example, in anti-aircraft missile system equipment and in some types of military vehicles.

In the very fact of buying a magnetron, in general, there is nothing criminal. The Internet is full of such ads, the price ranges from 70 thousand rubles and above. Apparently, Arakelov also thought that this deal would not have any consequences. At least that’s what he later told investigators.

“I don’t know what these magnetrons were for. I thought these were ordinary spare parts,” the man explained.

However, Arakelov could not but know – and he did not hide it – that in the future the buyer plans to resell the goods abroad. Even to the seller, found via the Internet, Adil said that the magnetrons would go to Baku “through diplomatic channels.” He deliberately let in the fog so as not to give out the real buyer.

However, the businessman did not even guess that the whole deal from the very beginning was under the “hood” of the FSB operatives in Moscow and the Moscow region. Magnetrons are among the equipment used in the creation of military equipment, and all operations with them are strictly controlled. The detectives found out that Azerbaijan was only an intermediate point – in the future, it was planned to transport the magnetrons to Ukraine, for the needs of Ukroboronservis.

Arakelov made several deliveries. Moreover, for the first time, non-working devices were slipped to him – the customer was extremely dissatisfied, since he received a complaint from Azerbaijan. Adil was re-ordered, with the condition that the performance of the magnetrons would be checked upon delivery. And during the next meeting, the entrepreneur was caught red-handed.

It should be noted that Arakelov is far from the first who tried to arrange the supply of components to Ukraine. Not so long ago, an attempt to sell magnetrons for the Osa air defense system was suppressed. Citizen Kochev handed over 280,000 rubles to a defense industry worker for a batch of instruments and was immediately detained. The Dmitrovsky court sentenced him to 2 years and 3 months in prison.

And Arakelov received a more severe punishment. According to the verdict of the Basmanny Court, he will spend 5 years in a general regime colony. However, the decision has not yet entered into force.