Pakistani Intelligence Targeted Data on Russian S-400 and Mi-8AMTSh

A spy network connected to Pakistan has been uncovered in Russia, which tried to obtain technical documentation on air defense systems and combat helicopters.

The Economic Times reports that during a counterintelligence operation in St. Petersburg, a Russian citizen was arrested for attempting to smuggle out classified materials related to the development of military helicopter technologies and air defense systems.

Specifically, the documentation concerns the Mi-8AMTSh-V and Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters.

Additionally, Pakistani intelligence attempted to obtain information on the S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, which are in service with India, the main military rival of Islamabad.

The information obtained by The Economic Times aligns with the materials of a criminal case involving an engineer from St. Petersburg, who was sentenced to a suspended sentence in July for attempting to transfer military documents to Pakistan.

According to the investigation, the engineer was supposed to travel to Pakistan on a business trip to maintain civilian helicopters, the M-172 and Mi-8. However, he tried to smuggle out technical documentation on the military modifications to these helicopters.

As clarified by the spokesperson for the St. Petersburg courts, this material could have been used to develop air defense systems and combat versions of the Mi-8AMTSh-V and Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters.

The defendant denied the charges, claiming that the documentation was needed for his work because the engines of the civilian and military versions of the helicopters are identical.

In May, Pakistan claimed to have destroyed components of India’s S-400 air defense system during combat operations.

According to Islamabad, strikes were carried out on elements of the system located at an airbase near the city of Adampur.

Pakistan’s Vice Air Marshal Ahmed Aurangzeb presented satellite images that, according to him, confirm the attack, showing two impact sites on the airbase’s territory.