Dozens of Russian planes mysteriously disappeared 0
(Dan Tri) – Russian media reported that the country’s authorities are investigating the mysterious disappearance of a series of planes, some of which fell into the hands of Ukrainian forces.
A Russian Mil Mi-8 helicopter and a Kamov Ka-52 helicopter (Photo: Getty).
Izvestia newspaper (Russia) reported on February 12 that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is looking into allegations that the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsiya brought civil aircraft and helicopters of
According to Izvestia, `The Federal Security Service has opened two criminal cases, including allegations of negligence and abuse of power, against several employees of the Federal Air Transport Agency.`
Izvestia reported that these employees were `suspected of illegally removing 59 planes and helicopters from Russian jurisdiction` after Moscow launched its military campaign in Ukraine nearly two years ago.
Izvestia cited two anonymous Russian law enforcement sources and an anonymous source from the Russian Ministry of Transport as saying that some of the missing planes were used by Ukraine in military operations against Russia.
Russian newspapers reported that Ukraine used several Mi-8 helicopters as well as Il-76 multi-role strategic transport aircraft to fight Russian forces in Ukraine.
According to Izvestia, the Russian Ministry of Transport checked Rosaviatsiya’s civil aircraft records in July 2023 and the inconsistencies led to criminal investigations.
Russian newspapers quoted a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport as saying that employees of the Federal Air Transport Agency `removed` the planes from the civil property register `without a set of documents`.
The Federal Air Transport Agency is in charge of civil aviation and airspace control of Russia.
Russia has widely deployed Mi-8 helicopters in operations across Ukraine.
Ukraine has claimed to have shot down Russian Mi-8 helicopters, including incidents using the HIMARS artillery system provided by the US.
In August last year, Ukraine announced that it had lured a Russian Mi-8 pilot to land in territory controlled by Kiev before confiscating the helicopter.
Ukraine has sought to encourage Russian soldiers to defect since the beginning of the war.
Earlier this month, Russian officials said an Mi-8 helicopter crashed into a lake in the northern Karelia region.
