Belarusian citizen in the USA pleads guilty to illegal export of aircraft components to Russia

Yana Liavonava. Photo from her VK page

Liavonava had recently been living in Russia. According to American authorities, after Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine began, she participated in a scheme to procure avionics and equipment through intermediary firms in Armenia and other countries, concealing the ultimate recipient of the goods.

Liavonava pleaded guilty before Judge Loren AliKhan to violating the US Export Control Reform Act. Her sentence is scheduled to be handed down on August 10, 2026.

"Anyone who thinks they can exploit American supply chains to arm our adversaries should take a close look at what happened to Yana Liavonava," stated Prosecutor Janine Piro.

Liavonava was detained in France and extradited to the US in November 2025. Initially, she faced a broader set of charges—including smuggling, money laundering, and fraud against the United States. Following a plea agreement with the prosecution, she pleaded guilty to a charge related to violating export laws.

How the scheme operated

In response to Russian military aggression in Ukraine, the US prohibited the supply of high technologies to Russia to limit the access of the Russian military-industrial complex to critically important components. These measures are designed to undermine Russia's ability to produce, modernize, and replenish stockpiles of weapons (particularly missiles and drones) used in military operations.

Yana Liavonava used shell companies, falsified documents, and foreign intermediaries to conceal the illegal export of US-origin aviation components to Russia. Investigators tracked this scheme across multiple jurisdictions and secured her accountability.

According to case materials, the scheme began operating in May 2022—shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. American investigators claim that Liavonava, along with co-conspirators from the US and Armenia, purchased aviation electronic systems and other aircraft components from American distributors and then arranged for their shipment to Russia without US Department of Commerce licenses.

Companies in Armenia, the Maldives, and other jurisdictions were used to bypass export restrictions. Documents deliberately listed false end-users and destinations. Payments were made in US dollars through foreign bank accounts and accounts in the United States.

US authorities do not name the company for which the supplies were intended but note that it was Liavonava's former employer—an organization included on the US Department of Commerce's Entity List. This list includes companies that, in Washington's view, act contrary to US national security and foreign policy interests. According to the investigation, the parts were used for servicing or operating private jets.

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