A weapons smuggling ring run by Pushilin has been uncovered
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, in cooperation with Europol, carried out the second phase of the "Black Cartridge" special operation and identified members of an organized criminal group that operated a weapons supply chain for criminal circles and illegal armed groups.
This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine on April 28.
“Kim Jong-un, Bashar Hafez al-Assad, Dmitry Medvedev, Sergey Sobyanin, Sergey Lavrov, Ramzan Kadyrov, Steven Seagal, Yulia Chicherina, Vladimir Solovyov, Alexander Sidyakin, and Vladimir Saldo—these are the individuals who received “reward” weapons from the leader of the so-called “DPR,” Denis Pushilin,” the statement reads.
The weapons came from two sources: they were stolen from Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine or illegally imported from the Slovak Republic.
Specifically, these were Glock-type pistols chambered for Flobert cartridges, which were converted into fully functional combat weapons after being imported from Slovakia. They were subsequently sold to criminals, transferred to illegal armed groups, and used as a means of “incentivizing” individuals who had no legal right to possess combat weapons.
In January 2026, investigators from the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine, in collaboration with operatives from the Department of Strategic Investigations, uncovered the smuggling mechanisms, supply routes, and members of the criminal group.
As a result of cooperation with Polish law enforcement agencies, some of the suspects—Ukrainian citizens—were detained at the Polish border while attempting to illegally import weapons into that country. The weapons were seized, and indictments were filed with a court in Poland.
In Ukraine, police investigators notified Pushilin of his status as a suspect in war crimes (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
In April, police, in conjunction with the Military Counterintelligence Department of the Security Service of Ukraine, carried out the second phase of the “Black Cartridge” special operation, during which more than 30 simultaneous searches were conducted in Kyiv, Kyiv, Zakarpattia, and Sumy regions. The results confirmed the scale of illegal arms flows directed toward the occupied territories.
As a result of the investigative actions, over 90 firearms were seized: assault rifles, machine guns, pistols and submachine guns, sniper rifles (including large-caliber ones), at least seven grenade launchers and anti-tank weapons, dozens of grenades, detonators, and fuses, TM-62M anti-tank mines, 30-mm artillery ammunition, as well as a lightly armored “Tiger” vehicle.
Separately, over 35,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, over 150 grenade launcher rounds, rocket motors for them, shaped-charge warheads, smoke grenades, and other explosive components were seized.
Part of the arsenal was stored in garages, residential buildings, and vehicles, while the rest was kept in specially equipped caches in the area, the coordinates of which were provided by the suspects themselves. Forged documents, seals, identification cards, equipment, and data storage devices used to cover up their activities and organize logistics were also seized.
A series of expert examinations has been ordered, based on the results of which a decision will be made regarding the filing of new charges.
Police are identifying all participants in the scheme, the routes of weapon movement, and the final recipients. The operation involves the capabilities of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, international partners—Europol—and the AP Weapons & Explosives analytical project.
With the assistance of the Department of International Police Cooperation, a virtual coordination center has been established at Europol, enabling real-time information exchange via secure channels, including the SIENA system.
The “Black Cartridge” special operation is proceeding under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General simultaneously across several fronts—from blocking supply channels and dismantling caches to international coordination and bringing all those involved to justice.
“DPR” leader Pushilin made a cynical remark about the “Russian spirit” amid protracted fighting.
As a reminder, “DPR” leader Denis Pushilin was wounded in Lyman.
Also, “DPR” leader Pushilin appointed a new Gauleiter in occupied Mariupol.
