Russia Supplied Mi-24 Blades to Macedonia Through Poland in 2016

Polish defense companies cooperated with Russia’s defense industry to bypass sanctions, supplying spare parts for Macedonian helicopters, according to an investigation by InformNapalm and Militant Intelligence.

One of the contracts alone amounted to hundreds of thousands of euros. Polish firms acted as intermediaries between state institutions.

A 2016 document shows that the Polish company Polit-Elektronik ordered services from the Russian Helicopter holding, part of the Rostec corporation.

An advance payment under an additional agreement to the 2015 contract amounted to 70% of the total — €543,690.

Payments were made through Russia’s Novikombank, using a correspondent account at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt. This shows that even after the 2014 sanctions, Russia’s defense industry continued to use the European financial system for international military contracts.

Another document from 2016 shows Polit-Elektronik sent a letter to the Russian Helicopters agreeing on a delivery schedule for blades for Mi-24 helicopters of the Macedonian Ministry of Defense.

Poland’s state-owned Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 1 (WZL-1) was also involved in the process.

The Łódź-based WZL-1 serves both the Polish armed forces and private clients. Its main focus is the repair, maintenance and modernization of Soviet-made helicopters: Mi-2, Mi-8/17, Mi-14 and Mi-24.

As a result, Poland and Russia’s defense industries coordinated military projects for a third country. The Polish company acted as an intermediary, helping Russia’s defense industry participate in international tenders.

In 2023, North Macedonia officially agreed to transfer Mi-24 combat helicopters to Ukraine. It is possible that the transfer included helicopters with parts from these contracts.