Russia Launches Criminal Investigation Over Defective $8.86 Million Chinese Drone Systems

Russian authorities have launched fraud investigations following the delivery of $8.86 million worth of Chinese-made drone suppression systems to Russia’s Federal National Guard Service (Rosgvardiya), which failed to meet technical specifications.

In November 2023, Rosgvardiya entered into nine government contracts with the company “Oruzheynaya Palata” for the purchase of “Vyzhigatel” drone detection and suppression systems, designed to enhance their capabilities in countering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

These systems were intended to enhance Rosgvardiya’s capabilities in countering UAVs.​

However, according to recent reports in Russian media from May 1, the systems did not meet operational expectations during initial use.

An internal technical evaluation found that the performance characteristics of the delivered systems did not align with those claimed by the manufacturer.

As a result, the Investigative Committee of Russia initiated nine criminal cases under charges of large-scale fraud. The investigations target businessman Alexey Rul, who acted as an intermediary in the procurement process, as well as officials from “Oruzheynaya Palata.”

Notably, reports have surfaced that Rul’s sister purchased a luxury property in the Moscow region valued at 201 million rubles (approximately $2.17 million) in December 2023, despite lacking verifiable income sources to justify such an acquisition.​

Previously, it was reported that Europe’s artillery production is skyrocketing and is poised to overtake Russia’s and rival China’s by 2026.

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