March 2 (Reuters) – Two Americans have been arrested in Kansas City on Thursday for an alleged scheme to ship aviation-related expertise to Russia in violation of U.S. export controls.

Cyril Buyanovsky, 59, and Douglas Robertson, 55, are accused of conspiring to bypass U.S. export legal guidelines by promoting avionics to prospects world wide that function Russian-built plane, in line with an indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Kansas.

The pair repaired and shipped expertise from their agency, KanRus Trading Company, submitting false export data, resembling a fraudulent bill that confirmed Germany as the top vacation spot for repaired gear bearing a sticker for Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB).

On Feb. 28, 2022, after U.S. authorities detained a cargo of avionics, the U.S. Commerce Department instructed the lads they wanted a license to export the gear, the Justice Department stated in an announcement. In May, June and July, they illegally shipped the electronics by Armenia and Cyprus.

The defendants are charged with conspiracy, exporting managed items and not using a license, falsifying and failing to file export data, and smuggling items opposite to U.S. legislation. If convicted, they withstand 20 years in jail for every rely of smuggling.

Buyonovsky and Robinson couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.

Avionics contains communications, navigation, flight management and risk detection methods put in in plane.

U.S. Commerce official Matthew Axelrod disclosed the arrests earlier on Thursday at an American Bar Association occasion in Miami.

The U.S. imposed extra restrictions on avionics after Russia invaded Ukraine final 12 months, together with controls on different items focusing on Russia’s protection, aerospace and maritime sectors. The controls have been later expanded to incorporate Russia’s oil refining, industrial and business sectors, and luxurious items.

Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Leslie Adler and Marguerita Choy

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