Key facts
- Andrey Cherezov, a developer of FPV drones for the Ukraine war, was shot in an assassination attempt.
- Cherezov is the head of a Tula-based manufacturer of FPV drones.
- He was shot outside his apartment building and is in serious condition.
- The attacker remains at large.
- Russian authorities have detained billionaire Valery Kustov.
- Executives from Kustov's Efko company have also been detained.
- A government official overseeing drone development was detained.
- The detentions are part of a fraud investigation.
- Allegations involve covertly purchasing Chinese drones and passing them off as proprietary developments.
Andrey Cherezov, who heads a Tula-based manufacturer of FPV drones utilized in the Ukraine war, has been hospitalized in serious condition following an assassination attempt. The incident occurred outside his apartment building, and the assailant remains at large.
In a separate but potentially related development, Russian authorities have detained billionaire Valery Kustov, along with executives from his company Efko, and a government official responsible for overseeing drone development. These detentions are linked to a fraud investigation. The allegations suggest the covert purchase of Chinese drones, which were then allegedly passed off as proprietary domestic developments.
The detentions and the assassination attempt highlight ongoing scrutiny and potential internal conflicts within Russia's drone manufacturing sector, particularly concerning its role in the conflict in Ukraine and its reliance on foreign components. The fraud probe specifically targets the misrepresentation of drone origins, indicating a push for transparency or a crackdown on illicit dealings within the industry. The motive behind the assassination attempt on Cherezov remains unclear, but it could be connected to his work in drone development or other business dealings.