RF gets electronics for the Orlan killer drones bypassing US sanctions: Investigation

The logistics chain covers the globe and the final destination is a special technological center in St. Petersburg. Russia continues to produce hundreds of drones due to a chain of supplies, which bypassing US sanctions, which was tracked by journalists from Reuters, Russian media with IDories and employees of the Royal Institute of United weapons. Investigators claim that the supply chain was organized through the office at Hong Kong and a firm in Florida (USA), Reuters-Com.

The investigation is based on the analysis of customs declarations and bank statements. The Special Technological Center (St. Petersburg, RF) specializes in the production of UAV military. He was on the US sanctions list in 2017. In March 2022, the US Government strengthened sanctions restrictions, blocking all sales of any American technological products for any enterprises from the Russian Federation, especially those who work for the army. But the manufacturer continued to create Orlan drones.

One of the main suppliers of the Center was the Hong Kong firm Asia Pacific Links Ltd, which, according to customs and banking data, supplied the circuits from American manufacturers. Further, this electronics was received by SMT ILogic and it sold products of the center. It turned out that SMT Ilogic has the same address as the center. So the connection is obvious here. The owner of Asia Pacific Links Ltd is Russian Anton Trofimov, who once studied in China and now lives in Canada.

He did not respond to the request of journalists, although the media staff managed to confirm the fact of his residence in Canada. During the 7 months of the war, from March 1 to September 30, 2022, the cases of Asia Pacific Links Ltd went up sharply. The company sold electronics for $ 5. 2 million last year in the same period it sold products for $ 2. 3 million. Almost all components bought Ilogic.

According to customs documents, the Russian Federation also included: customs declarations include aircraft engines from Japanese company Saito Seisakusho, used in Orlan-10. Reuters emphasizes that a Russian citizen, who also has American citizenship, Igor Talkan of Florida, who owns Ik Tech, sell ILOGIC electronic components. From 2018 to 2021, as journalists installed, he sold chips and fees for $ 2. 2 million, and 90% of supplies came to the center.

In particular, the Russians received fees created by the American manufacturer Gumstix. Such a component was found in Russian drone. The list of components was provided by official Ukrainian persons. It is known that everyday received 3 years of conditional and a fine of $ 7,000. In the case of its found guilty of all points, he is threatened with 40 years of imprisonment, according to the material.