Russian Defense Companies Started Receiving Bags Of Dollars Instead Of Bank Payments
- 5.09.2025, 23:55
Sanctions have made non-cash payments impossible.
The Russian military-industrial complex continues to receive foreign currency for arms sales abroad, but because of sanctions, huge bags and parcels of cash are being sent to Rosoboronexport instead of bank payments, writes The Moscow Times.
Customs data from commercial aggregators analyzed by Nordsint analysts show that since 2022, the Russian military has received more than a ton of banknotes from arms buyers. The defense ministries of various countries are supplying the cash.
The Turkish Defense Industry Agency is among them. It sent to Rosoboronexport a batch of 23.4 kilograms of banknotes weighing 5 million, but without specifying the denomination and currency. The declared value of the shipment may have been sent in 200 and 500 euro bills, Nordsint writes. In August 2024, Reuters reported that Turkey was the center of banknote imports to Russia.
Another supplier of banknotes is Myanmar. "Rosoboronexport and United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) sent aircraft parts and technical documentation to Myanmar's Defense Procurement Authority. In return, they received large shipments of cash currency. In October 2023, customs declarations showed that Rosoboronexport was sent a parcel weighing 492.5 kilograms. The description of the parcel said it was "legal tender" worth 50 million.The weight corresponds to the equivalent in $100 bills.
The batch of cash to Russia came from Turkmenistan's defense ministry. Aircraft repair enterprise "Motor", specializing in the repair of power units for Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters, received 10 kg of cash euros and a small batch of coins. Hydroaviasalon LLC, a subsidiary of the Beriev Airlines defense holding company like the Beriev Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex, also received 74 kg of banknotes from the Turkmen Defense Ministry with 35 million in currency (no denomination specified, but in euros or dollars). She also received a smaller parcel described as "non-precious metal coins." "Beriev Airlines" Beriev TANTK is under both EU and US sanctions. In addition, Turkmenistan also sent 0.6 kg of 110,000 denomination banknotes (without specifying the currency) to the UAC.