Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) has published phone conversations of Viacheslav Bohuslaiev, head of Motor Sich, one of the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft engines based in Zaporizhzhia, which allegedly confirm his cooperation with Russia.
In these conversations, Bohuslaiev offered top management of the Russian helicopter manufacturing and repair companies Ukraine-made engines for attack helicopters and suggested shipping them to Russia through Croatia, Kazakhstan, or Kyrgyzstan.
Bohuslaiev also justified Russia's attack on his plant and said he hopes Russian dictator Vladimir Putin would not stop the advance of his troops.
"We (in Zaporizhzhia Oblast) have a nuclear power plant and hydroelectric plant; (Ukrainian authorities) are scared... They will go away. (Volodymyr) Zelensky will be kicked out, and they will leave, no problems," Bohuslaiev allegedly.
Bohuslaiev started cooperating with Russian military companies a long time ago; some phone conversations were made in 2021, according to the SBU.
On Oct. 23, Ukrainian authorities detained Viacheslav Bohuslaiev and the head of the Motor Sich foreign economic activities department.
The detained were accused of establishing "transnational channels for the illegal supply of Ukrainian aircraft engines" to Russia, the SBU said, adding that Russia used the obtained equipment for the "production and repair" of its attack helicopters Mi-8, Ka-52, and Mi-28.
According to the SBU, Russia has used such helicopters "en masse" against Ukraine.
(Updated: )
