MiG hulls sold for $5 each in Russia

Moscow, March 27 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Four hulls of MiG-31 jet were each sold by a former Russian official for just 153 rubles or $5 while its real price was $3.9 million, investigators said.

The sale came to light after a check was carried out to see whether regulations were followed during the sale of items from the Sokol Aircraft Construction plant located in Nizhny Novgorod city.

Prosecutors said that in October 2006-July 2007, officials of the Agency for State Reserves allegedly included four MiG-31 hulls (without engines and weapons) in a list of sale items.

These were purchased by a firm not entitled to trade in arms and military hardware.

The price of the MiG-31 hulls was undervalued by a valuation company. One hull was valued at 153 rubles ($5) and all the MiG hulls were sold at this price. The guilty employee faces five to 10 years in prison.

–IANS/RIA Novosti