An Odessa professor was punished for attempting to export a drone and missile parts

In Odesa, an instructor at the Military Academy was fined for attempting to smuggle military equipment out of the country. The lieutenant colonel tried to mail parts for American air-to-air missiles and an FPV drone to Hong Kong and Australia.

This is stated in the verdict of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa.

According to the court’s verdict, the military officer was found guilty of violating the procedure for international transfers of goods subject to state export control. He was sentenced to a fine of 51,000 hryvnias. The defendant must also pay nearly 18,000 hryvnias in court costs for expert examinations. The seized missile parts and drone are to be destroyed by court order.

During the court hearing, the lieutenant colonel fully admitted his guilt. He explained his actions as a desire to obtain additional funds for the department where he worked. The verdict notes that the convicted man actively cooperated with the investigation and voluntarily made a charitable donation to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As noted in the case file, in 2025, an associate professor at one of the departments of a military university purchased components and equipment for AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles via an online platform AIM-120 AMRAAM, as well as a damaged FPV drone. After receiving the items via “Nova Poshta,” the professor repackaged them in his own garage for subsequent transport outside Ukraine.

To carry out his plan, the defendant used the services of “Ukrposhta.” Using a fictitious name and someone else’s phone number, he arranged for two international shipments: he sent the missile parts to Hong Kong and the drone to Australia. In the customs declarations, the servicemember provided false information about the contents of the shipments, listing “roller skates” and “sports equipment” among the goods. The illegal scheme was uncovered during a customs inspection in Kyiv.
 

Юлія Калабайда