SBU notifies of suspicion director general of Russian airline that transported Shahed drones from Iran
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has notified of suspicion Yuri Velikoklad, the CEO of a Russian airline which transported weapons and fighters from the Middle East and Africa to Ukraine.
"The Security Service collected an evidence base against Yuri Velikoklad, the sanctioned CEO of the Russian airline 223 Liotny Otryad (223 Flight Squad) of the Russian Defense Ministry. The official provided aircraft for the transportation of Russian fighters and weapons from the Middle East and Africa to the war in Ukraine," the special service said on the Telegram channel on Friday.
The SBU stressed that, according to the data available to it, this person organized the transportation of the Shahed kamikaze drones from Iran to the Ukrainian border which the aggressor country used to attack Sumy on July 3. The Ukrainian special service recalled that on that day the enemy inflicted strikes on two multi-apartment buildings and an administration building in the city downtown, causing casualties among the civilians.
"It was established that the Iranian-made drones were transported to the territory of Russia on board of an Il-76 military transportation aircraft from the fleet of Velikoklad's airline," the SBU said.
In addition, according to the special service, in late 2022 and at the beginning of 2023, the official provided aircraft for the transportation of Wagner PMC fighters from Africa to the war in Ukraine, and later the fighters were deployed in the vicinity of Bakhmut to assault the Ukrainian city.
"To carry out the flights, the management of the fighters concluded agreements with Velikoklad's airline and transferred to its accounts the payments for the use of the aircraft," it said.
According to the documents, Wagner PMC spent RUR 56 million for eight international flights. To conceal the contacts with the defendant's flying squad, representatives of the PMC used subordinate commercial structures outside Russia.
Based on the collected evidence, the SBU notified Velikoklad of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 27 and Part 2 of Article 437 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (planning, preparation, unleashing and waging of war of aggression). Since the perpetrator is in the territory of Russia, comprehensive measures are being taken to bring him to justice for the crimes committed against Ukraine.
The investigation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine.
