Oleg Chistyakov, a 56-year-old Latvian citizen, pleaded guilty to participating in a “years-long conspiracy to circumvent U.S. export laws by filing false export forms with the U.S. government and, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, continuing to procure and sell sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to customers in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce,” the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Chistyakov, who was extradited to the United States from Latvia in August 2024, admitted that after the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022 and despite the sanctions imposed against Russia, he and his accomplices (Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky and Douglas Edward Robertson from Kansas) continued to smuggle and export sophisticated and controlled aviation equipment to companies. in Russia, without the necessary licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Chistyakov worked from Latvia and often collaborated with Buyanovsky and Robertson through their company KanRus Trading Company Inc. through his Emirati company RosAero FZC. Chistyakov also admitted that he and his accomplices transported goods through third countries such as Laos and the United Arab Emirates, and used bank accounts in third countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the UAE.
After pleading guilty, Chistyakov faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 10, 2026.
