Not made in Russia: how the Transport of the Future project came under investigation

A series of arrests took place in Moscow as part of an investigation into fraud surrounding the Transport of the Future project. According to investigators, Chinese models that were only assembled in Russia could be used under the guise of domestic drones, while budgetary funds were allocated for their development. Among the detainees are Valery Kustov, the owner and founder of Efko, as well as Alla Polovchenya, deputy head of the Department of unmanned systems at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. What is known about the course of the investigation and the alleged scheme of fraud around the high—profile project is in the Izvestia material.

The delayed "Transport of the Future"

New arrests in the case of fraud in the ambitious project "Transport of the Future" lasted for two days. The first person involved in the investigation back in April 2026 was the former CEO of the company, ex-adviser to the governor of the Samara region, Yuri Kozarenko, who was arrested in Belgorod. Recently, according to Izvestia's sources, he cooperated with the investigation and testified, on the basis of which the case received a new impetus. And if at first the regional Belgorod central committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was involved in the investigation, then the case materials were transferred to Moscow - to the Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

On July 29, three new defendants were arrested at once — Alla Polovchenya, Deputy head of the Department of Unmanned Systems and Robotics at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and two Efko Group top managers, Ekaterina Kustova, Deputy Director for Development, and Vladislav Romantsev, Director for Strategic Development. The Meshchansky district Court of Moscow sent all those arrested to the pre-trial detention center for two months. The official was charged with embezzlement of budget funds on an especially large scale, top managers are accused of fraud on an especially large scale and as part of a group.

On the morning of July 30, active investigative actions continued: FSB operatives who are accompanying the investigation detained the owner of the Efko group of companies, Valery Kustov, and the company's CEO, Evgenia Lyashenko. Almost immediately after the completion of the search and interrogation of the suspects, the investigation applied to the same Meshchansky court with a request for arrest. The district Court held closed-door meetings and, agreeing with the arguments of the investigation, sent both detainees to the pre-trial detention center.

In 2021, with the participation of Efko shareholders, the Transport of the Future project was launched, developing drones for agriculture, logistics and monitoring. In 2023, it was spun off into an independent business. The main production sites are located in the Samara and Belgorod regions.

By the end of 2025, the company's revenue under RAS amounted to 5.4 billion rubles, 4.3 times more than a year earlier, and the net loss decreased to 806 million rubles.

The project involved the creation of a line of drones for agriculture and logistics. His main product was the S-80 agrodron for processing farmland.

"Together with other market participants, we are building a new industry, creating economically sustainable UAS application models and integrating them into a single airspace," the company's website says.

The scheme with drones

Efko did not comment on the nature of the charges after the detention of the first top managers. The company only stated that the team expresses its support for the arrested, noting their "tremendous involvement in their work" and contribution to business development. In addition, they stressed that the detainees took part "in the formation of the bioeconomy industry," the development of innovative projects and ensuring the country's food security.

The investigation has not officially disclosed the details of the case. However, according to Izvestia's sources, it is connected with the alleged substitution of domestic developments with Chinese models of drones, which were only assembled in Russia. At the same time, as the investigation suggests, the company received government subsidies for the development of its own technologies.

The defense of the defendants declined to comment.

What punishment does the accused face?

As noted by Dina Krylova, associate professor at the HSE Faculty of Law, in this case the only hint of corruption is the possible work of an employee of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the interests of Efko. However, this fact must be proved.

"Corruption is a big problem all over the world," she stressed. — Officials who work in areas with a high risk of corruption are more closely monitored. Moreover, five or ten years ago he was not so thorough.

The expert noted that wealthy people have been detained more often lately, as actions that previously might have been perceived as acceptable are now becoming extremely risky.

Such detentions can be both a manifestation of real criminal activity and the result of unscrupulous competition, the expert concluded.

According to Albert Khaleyan, a criminal lawyer, partner of the Vector Prime Moscow Bar Association and mediator at the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in such cases, an article about the organization of a criminal community is often added to the fraud charge. As a rule, it is more difficult to prove such a composition, however, according to the expert, this practice has recently become more common. With the current qualification of the charges, the defendants in the case face up to ten years in prison.