The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported suspicions to the director general of the Russian airline, who facilitated the delivery of Wagner PMC instructors to the war in Ukraine from Iran, the SBU said.

"The security service has collected an evidence base on Vladimir Mikheychik, the general director of the Russian airline 224 Letny Squad, who was involved in waging an aggressive war against Ukraine. The official helped the top military-political leadership of Russia in transferring personnel and military equipment of the occupation groups to the Ukrainian border," according to the SBU statement in the Telegram channel on Friday.

According to the Ukrainian intelligence service, the head of the airline ensured the transfer of weapons and militants of the Russian military company Wagner from the Middle East to Ukraine.

Based on the investigation, from August 2022 to the present, Mikheychik has provided six civilian aircraft for the relevant flights from Syria and Iran to collection points in Russia.

"Thus, on August 8, 2022, the civil aircraft of the airline of the person involved were transporting weapons and Wagner instructors from Iran to Moscow on the international flight RFF8629. And already on September 18, Russian mercenaries followed the Syria-Grozny air service [flight RFF8631]. Another flight of the occupiers was recorded on February 26, 2023 on flight RFF8936 from Latakia (Syria) to Rostov-on-Don," the SBU said.

In the future, according to the SBU, Wagner PMC with their military equipment were transferred to Ukraine to participate in hostilities on the southern and eastern fronts, including near Bakhmut.

Based on the collected evidence, the investigators of the Security Service informed Mikheychik about the suspicion under part 5 of Art. 27, part 2 of Art. 437 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (planning, preparation, initiation and conduct of an aggressive war).