Russia's FSB state security service said on Thursday it has detained a group of smugglers trading in military aircraft parts, some of which had ended up in Ukraine, TASS news agency reported.
The smugglers were from Ukraine and a Central Asian country, TASS cited the FSB as saying. The FSB did not name any other smuggling destinations, saying only that the parts went to Western Europe.
It said the group purchased and repaired military airplane and helicopter parts in Russia to export them to foreign consumers including those acting on behalf of the Ukrainian military.
It said it had confiscated over 1,000 pieces of military aircraft equipment and found documents confirming the group repaired aircraft and helicopter modules for Ukraine.