Property of arms smuggler for Russia and Vietnam seized in Mykolaiv

A court in Mykolaiv seized the property of a person involved in a case of smuggling military components to Russia and Vietnam. The suspect was detained while preparing to illegally export six-barrel artillery rifles and air compressors.

This is stated in the decision of the Central District Court of Mykolaiv.

The judge considered the motion of the SBU investigator in Mykolaiv region to seize the property. The investigator is in charge of criminal proceedings on suspicion of collaboration, aiding the aggressor state, illegal handling of weapons, trafficking of persons across the state border and preparation for a crime.

The investigation established that the founder of the Center for Strategic Studies LLC and a number of European companies supplied military goods in 2022-2025 to the Russian shipbuilding company SSZ Vympel (Russia, Yaroslavl region, Rybinsk) and the Vietnamese company BA SON Corporation. It was about the EKPA-2/150-4 air compressors, which were used for the joint construction of the 1241 Molniya project missile boats.

According to the investigation, in November 2022, the suspect exported six compressors through companies in Bulgaria to Vietnam, allegedly concealed from customs control. Later, during a search on August 13, 2025, at the production and warehouse facilities of the Center for Strategic Studies LLC in Mykolaiv, another six compressors prepared for export were found.

The investigation also found that the founder of the company tried to organize the smuggling of four 30 mm Gatling guns of the AO-18 system, which are components of the AK-630 naval gun system for Russian missile boats. To do this, he engaged a number of people who were to prepare the guns for shipment, disguise them in industrial boilers, and find carriers.

During a search on August 13, 2025, four welded radiators with AO-18 artillery pieces inside were found in the office in Mykolaiv and at the production base. The offender failed to complete his criminal intentions and was detained the same day on suspicion of preparing for smuggling.

The court granted the investigation's motion and seized the property seized during the search. The seized property included mobile terminals with SIM cards, the seal of Sovereign Group LLC, and a sheet of paper with information about six EKPA-2/150-4 compressors.

In early September, in Odesa, the SBU detained a Moldovan citizen who was trying to smuggle armor plates and tactical equipment from Ukraine to Transnistria. Law enforcement officers seized nearly 500 armor plates and more than 200 tile carriers, which the offender planned to smuggle across the border under the guise of household goods.

Анна Бальчінос