The Schemes project (Radio Liberty) published records of telephone conversations between the president of the Ukrainian corporation Motor Sich, Vyacheslav Boguslayev, and representatives of the Russian military-industrial complex during the war. Boguslaev complains that his factory is being shelled by the Russian military, asks to say hello to former Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and talks about looting. But at the same time, he does not stop doing business with Russia and expresses the wish that Vladimir Putin bring the occupation of Ukraine to an end.
"Schemes" write that they got access to recordings of negotiations from law enforcement sources and verified them with the help of the National Center for Media Expertise in Denver.
On March 17, 2022, when the Russian army was shelling the Ukrainian regions with artillery, Boguslaev called Anatoly Sitnov, a retired Russian colonel general, chairman of the board of directors of the Moscow-based company Engines Vladimir Klimov – Motor Sich, which has been repairing Ukrainian-made engines for many years "Motor Sich", in particular for the military of the Russian Federation.
“Anatoly Petrovich, congratulations. Say hello to everyone there, starting with the former minister. "Iskander-M" fell on the territory of the plant," says Boguslaev to Sitnov.
– Not bad! "Iskander" cannot fly there, – Sitnov answers.
– Well, it came to us. They beat us for the second time, bl***. So all this is talk that the civilian population should not be touched. It's all hu***. Now I am repairing the building, windows, rooms, bl***. “Thank you” to your friends, tell everyone there, damn it, – says Boguslaev.
– I'll definitely pass it on.
– If you can somehow influence … There are no troops in Zaporozhye. What the hell are they doing in Zaporozhye? Fucking idiots.
A few hours after this call, Boguslaev called Pyotr Kononenko to also report the shelling. At the time of the conversation, Kononenko was a member of the board of directors of Motor Sich. Now he runs the Russian company Borisfen, which is engaged in the repair and maintenance of aircraft engines. One of the founders of this Russian company is Motor Sich.
– Iskander-M flew to us at Motor Sich, the rocket arrived. She broke the glass for us, but they say that they don’t shoot at the civilian population, damn it,” says Boguslaev Kononenko.
– ** would your mother. I’ll hand it over now,” Kononenko replies.
– You run it among Leonov. Tell everyone that Motor Sich is being bombed. Call him, tell him what the fuck are you doing? And let him say at a meeting with the minister that Vyacheslav Sanych sends greetings to you all. He got acquainted with the Iskander-M, this is a rocket with balls.
The Leonov mentioned by Boguslaev is Alexander Leonov, commander of the air defense of the Russian ground forces.
An hour later, Boguslaev called Kononenko again and he replied that he had conveyed everything and that he was heard:
“I called him, he says: “We know, and the plant has nothing to do with it, we protect the plant like the apple of our eye,” Konenko reported.
– Well, okay, okay. Thank you for telling everyone there.
– He says: “Let Vyacheslav Alexandrovich not worry. We take care of him like an eye. To save people."
On March 18, 2022, when the dead and wounded were being pulled out from under the rubble of the Mariupol Drama Theater, Boguslaev called Kononenko again:
– Now it’s calm with us, it’s quiet in Ukraine. Quiet today,” said Boguslaev.
– I think we will soon come to you through the Crimea. And as soon as he moves there beyond Zaporozhye, and … They are already sleeping and they see when we start working, ”Kononenko told him.
– Today, Peter, there will be a conversation between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Putin. He was asked to influence Putin. For Putin…
“Putin's position is definitely “no,” Kononenko interrupted Boguslaev.
– If Putin finishes, then the nationalists will finish us, damn it.
He won't finish, he will finish. All right, said Kononenko.
– God bless! Boguslaev answered.
The SBU detained Vyacheslav Boguslayev on October 23, 2022. Together with him, the head of the department of foreign economic activity of Motor Sich was detained. The SBU press service said that after the Russian invasion, Boguslaev continued to supply the Russian Federation with engines and other spare parts for attack helicopters. According to the investigation, the detainees acted in collusion with representatives of the Russian corporation Rostec, one of the main manufacturers of weapons for the Russian Armed Forces, close to the Kremlin.
Earlier, Schemes found out that Boguslaev has Russian citizenship since 2022.
The Motor Sich Plant is one of the world's leading enterprises in the production of gas turbine engines for aircraft and helicopters, as well as industrial gas turbine units. Until 2014, the plant produced engines for Russian helicopters and An aircraft.