Montreal woman pleads guilty to shipping weapons components to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine

A Russian Ka-52 helicopter gunship is seen in the field after a forced landing Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. As described in the complaint and other court filings, some of the electronic components and integrated circuits with the same make, model and part number allegedly shipped by the defendants through SH Brothers have been found in seized Russian weapons platforms and signals intelligence equipment in Ukraine, including KA-52 helicopters. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A Russian-Canadian living in Montreal has admitted to sending millions of dollars of electronics to the Kremlin to support "its ongoing attacks of Ukraine," U.S. authorities announced on Monday.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York said 32-year-old Kristina Puzyreva pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in federal court in Brooklyn and could face up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced at a later date.

The attorney's office said Puzyreva was part of the "sophisticated" export scheme that involved purchasing dual-use electronics from U.S. manufacturers under Brooklyn-based front companies and sending them to Russian entities and companies in violation of U.S. sanctions. Those components were then used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and guided missile systems used by the Russian military.

"As she admitted today, the defendant was a key part of the plan, laundering proceeds from the scheme to evade sanctions and ship UAV and missile components to Russia that were later found on the battlefield in Ukraine," stated United States Attorney Peace.

Puzyreva and her husband — 37-year-old Nikolay Goltsev, also of Montreal — were arrested on Oct. 31, 2023 in a Manhattan hotel room. Police seized $20,000 from the room during their arrest and have seized US$1.68 million in connection with the export scheme.

Homeland Security Investigations said her money laundering scheme was linked to nearly 300 shipments of restricted technology valued at US$ 7 million for the Kremlin.

The prosecution of Goltsev and another defendant, 52-year-old Salimdzhon Nasriddinov of Brooklyn, is ongoing.