Revealed the scheme of theft of hundreds of millions of rubles in the supply of means to combat drones of the Russian Guard

In early May 2025, Russian law enforcement agencies revealed a large-scale scheme of embezzlement of budget funds when supplying detection and suppression systems for unmanned aerial vehicles "Scorcher" for the Federal Service of the National Guard of Russia. The total amount of damage amounted to almost ₽820 million. Under the guise of effective equipment, the Russian company supplied Chinese complexes that turned out to be unsuitable for operation.

According to Izvestia, in November 2023, nine state contracts were concluded between the Russian Guard and the Armory Chamber for the supply of Scorcher complexes from the PRC. However, in practical use in a special military operation, it turned out that the supplied equipment does not meet the tactical and technical characteristics specified in the contracts.

𝓲

Фото: rosguard.gov.ru

Technical expertise confirmed that the complexes did not respond to enemy drones, leaving the military without the necessary protection. A number of components declared by the manufacturer did not meet the customer's technical requirements, although specific data on non-conformities are closed by the investigation.

As a result of joint actions of the Department for Combating Economic Crimes and Countering Corruption of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service against businessman Alexei Rudl, the Investigative Department for Transport initiated nine criminal cases under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud on an especially large scale). The businessman acted as an intermediary in concluding a deal for the purchase of equipment in China.

The investigation established that in December 2023, the defendant's sister, Natalya K., purchased an elite house in the village of Semenkovo, Odintsovo District, Moscow Region, worth ₽201 million. According to investigators, payment was made in cash, while neither Rul himself nor his sister had legal income to buy such real estate. The entrepreneur's actions also show signs of legalizing proceeds from crime (Article 174.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).^[1]

Notes