An investigation by the international intelligence community InformNapalm has uncovered a scheme that allows Russia to continue servicing its military aircraft, including Su-30SM, Su-35, Su-30MK2, Su-30MKI and Su-57 fighters, despite Western sanctions.
Despite international sanctions, most of these fighter jets are exported to China, India, Algeria, Myanmar, Egypt and Vietnam.
The investigation highlights how Kazakh company ARC Group has been facilitating maintenance of Russian jets, using French aviation technology from companies Thales and Safran.
Russia’s Su-30SM aircraft, a variant of Su-30MKI, rely on critical avionics systems supplied by French manufacturers, including multifunction displays, navigation systems, and heads-up displays. The Su-30SM, which forms a key part of Russia’s air force with around 130 units, lost at least 15 aircraft during the war in Ukraine. However, sanctions could have caused Russia to lose more if it were unable to maintain these aircraft’s foreign avionics.
Russia lost more than two dozens of Su-35 aircraft in the Ukraine war.
Documents obtained by InformNapalm reveal that ARC Group, a Kazakhstan-based company, has been bypassing sanctions by working with Russia to repair and maintain the French equipment. ARC Group reportedly employs certified specialists trained in servicing Thales and Safran systems. “Without this equipment, Russian pilots would be flying blind,” the investigation noted, emphasizing the importance of the French avionics to the aircraft’s operational capability.
InformNapalm’s investigation shows that ARC Group signed contracts with Russian firm Rosaviatspeckomplekt in 2021, agreeing to repair French-made components for Russian Su-30SMs. Despite sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the contracts remained active, with Kazakh specialists traveling to Russia to carry out maintenance tasks.
According to the findings, the Kazakh experts were trained by Thales in France and received certification to service the systems. “Between January and February 2023, our specialists completed theoretical and practical training at Thales for servicing avionics systems,” ARC Group’s director Aldanazar Saginbek stated in correspondence obtained through the investigation.
The findings raise concerns about the effectiveness of sanctions on Russia’s military aviation industry and the role of third countries in facilitating the continued operation of Russian military equipment. The French companies involved, Thales and Safran, had previously announced they were exiting the Russian market following the sanctions. However, the investigation reveals that ARC Group continued to source equipment and expertise from France under the guise of serving Kazakhstan’s own Su-30SM fleet.
This scheme also underscores the broader challenge of enforcing international sanctions when third parties are willing to act as intermediaries. InformNapalm has urged French authorities and international organizations to investigate and address these violations, warning of the long-term implications for global security if such practices are not curtailed. The full documentation of this investigation is expected to be released shortly.
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