Russian intelligence services have disrupted an intelligence network organized by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) that was attempting to smuggle sensitive air defense and military helicopter technologies abroad. A Russian citizen suspected of attempting to smuggle relevant documents was detained in St. Petersburg, sources familiar with the investigation told the Indian publication The Economic Times.

According to the newspaper, the operation to expose the network was carried out as part of counterintelligence measures. The detainee intended to remove technical documentation related to the development of air defense systems, as well as modernized Mi-8AMTSh-V military helicopters and their Arctic modification, the Mi-8AMTSh-VA.

"During a counterintelligence operation, a Russian citizen was arrested in St. Petersburg while attempting to smuggle documents used to develop military helicopter and air defense system technologies, as well as other information about the Mi-8AMTSh-V and Mi-8AMTSh-VA military transport helicopters," — the publication’s sources noted.

The Mi-8AMTSh-V is an improved version of the attack and transport helicopter known as the "Terminator," while the Arctic version of the Mi-8AMTSh-VA is equipped with a special heating system, improved insulation, and increased fuel capacity for operations in polar conditions. The network's exposure occurred several months after the escalation of the Indo-Pakistani conflict known as Operation Sindoor, where Russian-made S-400 air defense systems in service with the Indian Air Force played a decisive role in repelling attacks.

"The Russian-made S-400 systems, used by the Indian Air Force, were a turning point in Operation Sindoor," — The Economic Times emphasizes.

India plans to purchase five more such systems.

Information from Indian sources echoes materials from a Russian criminal case. In July 2025, an engineer in St. Petersburg was sentenced to 3,5 years of suspended imprisonment with a three-year probationary period for a similar attempt. According to investigators, he was traveling to Pakistan to service civilian Mi-172 and Mi-8 helicopters but attempted to smuggle military documents that could have been used in the development of air defense systems and modifications to the Mi-8AMTSh-V and Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters. The court ruled that these materials fell under the category of contraband.

The case highlights tensions in relations between Russia and Pakistan amid regional conflicts in South Asia. Recently, the Russian embassy in Islamabad protested a publication in the Pakistani newspaper Frontier Post, accusing it of spreading anti-Russian narratives. Experts note that Pakistan's attempts to acquire Russian military technology may be linked to a desire to offset India's advantage in air defense, where the S-400 has proven highly effective. Russian authorities are continuing their investigation, emphasizing their determination to prevent any threats to the export of sensitive technologies.