The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed a large-scale scheme to circumvent anti-Russian sanctions, organized by the Kyiv Central Design Bureau of Valves: on suspicion of complicity with the aggressor state, the company's general director and two of his subordinates have been arrested, the Security Service has reported.

According to a report from the Security Service of Ukraine on its Telegram channel on Wednesday, this design bureau is a monopoly in the development, mass production, and supply of pipeline valves for nuclear power plants.

Before February 2022, according to the Security Service, the company exported its products to the Russian Federation through its own dealer in Moscow.

"The main customer was the Russian state corporation Rosatom, which uses Ukrainian pipeline fittings for the construction of power units at five nuclear power plants in different countries," the Security Service said.

The Security Service said: "The Kyiv bureau continued this cooperation even after the full-scale invasion, a ban on the export of goods to the customs territory of the Russian Federation, and the imposition of sanctions against Rosatom.

According to the Security Service, a scheme to circumvent sanctions restrictions was developed.

"Fictitious customers of Ukrainian products were controlled foreign companies. When leaving Ukraine, the goods were "re-registered" to the actual recipients – companies controlled by Rosatom that are building nuclear power plants. That is, after crossing the border, the goods went "along the new route," the Security Service said.

At the same time, Rosatom representatives certified pipeline fittings manufactured in Kyiv online.

According to operational data, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the dealers have carried out 16 export operations in favor of Russia valued at about UAH 42 million.

Based on the collected evidence, the Security Service investigators notified the director general of the Kyiv Bureau and two of his subordinates about the suspicion under Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (complicity with the aggressor state).

During the searches, documents, computer equipment, and means of communication with evidence of illegal activity were confiscated from the defendants.

The court chose them as a custody status of detention without the right to bail. The offenders face up to 12 years in prison.

An investigation is ongoing to ascertain all the circumstances surrounding the crime and bring other participants in the deal to justice.