On Thursday, two Kansas men were detained by the Justice Department on suspicion of providing illegal aviation-related technology export to Russia as well as equipment repair services.
Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky and Douglas Robertson are accused of conspiring, exporting restricted commodities without a permit, fabricating and neglecting to provide electronic export information and smuggling items against the law of the United States.
The accusations come at a time when the United States has significantly increased its sanctions and financial penalties on Russia since that country’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Export restrictions on the Kremlin are intended to restrict access to computer chips and other equipment required to equip a modern military, along with thousands of penalties on individuals and companies.
According to the Justice Department, Buyanovsky and Robertson were the owners and operators of KanRus Trading Co., which is accused of selling aircraft electronics to Russian firms and offering maintenance services for machinery used in Russian-built aircraft.
According to the indictment, they allegedly plotted in 2020 to dodge U.S. export restrictions by hiding and falsely declaring the actual end users and destinations of their exports as well as by transporting equipment through third-party nations.
If found guilty; they may spend 35 years in prison. The released documents did not reveal the names of Buyanovsky and Robertson’s attorneys, and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for their contact information.
The case is being looked into by the FBI and the Office of Export Enforcement of the Department of Commerce.
