Russian law enforcement authorities arrested the manager of a Russian defense contractor, accusing him of defrauding the military by supplying substandard equipment, Russia’s Investigative Committee said Friday.
Vladislav Pylsky, who manages a subsidiary of the Siberian Navigation Company, allegedly provided the military with goods that “did not meet technical requirements,” costing the armed forces 164 million rubles ($1.76 million).
Investigators did not specify what products were faulty, but the state-run news agency TASS reported that the company supplied substandard drones.
The RBC business news website reported that Pylsky manages EVR LLC, a company that manufactures aircraft, circuit boards and communications equipment.
Law enforcement officials charged the manager with large-scale fraud, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Russia’s defense sector has been rocked in recent months by a series of criminal investigations targeting companies contracted by the military, as well as defense officials. Many of these cases involve alleged fraud committed while fulfilling government contracts.
Earlier this month, Major General Denis Putilov, who oversees armored vehicles in the Defense Ministry’s Central Military District, was charged with taking bribes and large-scale fraud.