In October last year, SBU officers detained the head of Motor Sich, Vyacheslav Boguslayev, on suspicion of high treason. After that, fragments of conversations were published confirming the guilt of the official.
“Schemes” got access to other records of Boguslayev's conversations with Russians and Ukrainian accomplices. The main thing on the investigation of journalists, read on.
He was indignant at the actions of the Russians, but did not stop cooperation
On the morning of March 17, 2022, Boguslaev had several telephone conversations. The first one was with Anatoly Sitnov, a retired Russian colonel general and chairman of the board of directors of the Vladimir Klimov-Motor Sich company, which repairs Ukrainian engines, including those for Russian aircraft.
The conversation began with Boguslayev's indignation, because an Iskander-M missile had landed on the territory of Motor Sich. The head of the company asked to convey “greetings” to former Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who is now the industrial director of Rostec, the main arms manufacturer for the Russian army.
Boguslaev tried in every possible way to get through “to the top” in Moscow because of the shelling of “Motor Sich”, but he was assured that the company and himself “are protected like the pupil of the eye.”
And Boguslaev was indignant at the shelling of Zaporozhye. Like, why are they doing this, if there seems to be no military there. In addition, in conversations, Boguslaev complained that the Russians stole the equipment of his agrarian company “Island” in the Kherson region. The President of “Motor Sich” then even issued that, they say, “the people were waiting for the liberators, but the occupiers came.” That is, he played along with the ideology that supposedly everyone in Ukraine is waiting for the Russians.
An equally interesting dialogue was recorded with Pyotr Kononenko, director of the Russian Borisfen, dated March 18, 2022:
Boguslaev : Now it's quiet with us, it's quiet in Ukraine It's quiet today.
Kononenko : 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 see when we start working.
Boguslaev : Today, Peter, there will be a conversation between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Putin. He was asked to influence Putin. For Putin…
Kononenko : Putin's position is definitely “no”
Boguslaev : If Putin ends, then the nationalists will finish us, ok.
Kononenko : He will not finish, he will finish. OK.
Boguslaev : God forbid!
And in another recorded conversation, Boguslaev complains that the Russians are stealing grain from his 9th berth in Berdyansk.
That is, neither looting nor shelling had any effect on Boguslaev's position – he continued to support the war.
After the start of the invasion, cooperation did not stop
Despite everything that began after February 24, and even the fact that the Russians robbed Boguslaev himself and attacked Motor Sich, the head of the company remained interested in cooperation with the aggressor country.
For example, Boguslaev assured Anatoly Sitnov that if he found a country through which I could organize supplies, he would do it.
In August, Boguslaev discussed the supply of engines and spare parts to Russia with the head of the foreign economic activity department of Motor Sich, Oleg Dzyuba. By the way, he was also detained. To complete all agreements with the Russians, Boguslaev and Dziuba wanted to transfer 20 “reels” to the Russians through China by the end of the year.
The scheme is working, yes. They are, in short, because of the Chinese. The Chinese – yuan, the Chinese – us. But I’ll say right away that they paid off, somewhere around 9 million, ”Dziuba said then.
Tried to hide their connections
Boguslaev most of all wanted to hide the fact of cooperation with Russia. In particular, a lot of problems arose after the Motor Sich engine was found on a downed Russian helicopter in July last year. Boguslaev asked the partners to change the marking and remove Motor Sich from the engines.
About who Boguslaev collaborated with, who lobbied for his interests in Ukraine and full records of conversations, you can see in the full investigation of Schemes journalists.
“Tapes of Boguslayev” – a full investigation: watch the video
