Russia has lost five of its 18 Il-76 MD-90A aircraft due to poor-quality wheel bearings, the state-run media outlet Kommersant and the independent publication Important Stories reported on July 19.
Il-76 planes are military aircraft designed for the transportation of troops and cargo.
Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation against the Balashikhinsky Foundry and Mechanical Plant (BLMZ), the company that supplied the failed parts.
Investigators allege that BLMZ purchased the bearings from an unknown manufacturer using forged documents and transferred them to the Russian firm Aviastar for the production of Il-76 planes.
The poorly made bearings caused problems with the landing gear, disabling five aircraft. The Russian Defense Ministry had 18 Il-76 planes at the end of 2023, according to open source data obtained by Important Stories.
The Investigative Committee said BLMZ caused "substantial harm" to the Russian Defense Ministry and the state's security interests.
Sanctions against Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine have prohibited the export of aviation-related technology and spare parts, radically transforming the country's aviation industry and increasing the incidences of accidents and emergency landings.
An Il-76 plane crashed in central Russia on March 12, reportedly killing all 15 on board.
Martin Fornusek
