Black Mirror hackers release third batch of Rostec files covering Russia’s purchases of avionics for planes, helicopters, and UAVs from Iran

On Oct. 21, the hacker group Black Mirror released the third batch of leaked documents from Russian state defense conglomerate Rostec. The new release, consisting of more than 250 documents, includes materials related to cooperation with Algeria, Iran, and India, the group said.

One document describes meetings held in late July 2024 between Russian companies and representatives of Iran’s Center for Progress and Development (CPDI). Other meetings connected Russian and Iranian aviation firms. “At a specially organized exhibition of avionics products, the Iranian side presented to Russian representatives various avionics systems developed and produced by Iranian enterprises for aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs,” the document reads.

According to the papers, the two sides agreed that Iran would send the Russian companies KRET (Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies) and RPKB (Ramenskoye Instrument Design Bureau) technical specifications and price information for laser altimeters, laser rangefinders, and lidar systems. Russian representatives also reportedly asked Iran to consider manufacturing “certain parts and semi-finished components for civil aviation” on its territory.

Other files include correspondence between Alexander Mikheev, the CEO of Russia’s state-owned arms export agency Rosoboronexport, and a representative of India’s public sector aerospace and defense company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). In a letter dated May 9, 2024, HAL expressed frustration over significant delays in the delivery of spare parts, noting that shipments of “critically required spare parts kits” had been delayed by 12 to 24 months, which “has had a severely negative impact on the operational readiness of the Su-30MKI aircraft fleet.”

Another document details negotiations between Rosoboronexport and representatives of the Algerian Air Force Command over delays in a contract to upgrade 37 Mi-171Sh helicopters.

The leak also includes an internal Rostec memorandum describing alleged corruption schemes involving executives at NPO Avrora, a company within Rostec’s KMP holding. According to Black Mirror, the memo was prepared during an internal struggle between Rostec and Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) for control over the assets and financial flows of KMP and Avrora.

One of the final documents contains information on salaries of executives at certain Rostec subsidiaries. For instance, Igor Zolotov, director general of KAO JSC, reportedly earns 946,000 rubles (approximately $11,600) per month while working part-time — just four hours a day.

Black Mirror's two previous releases revealed Russia's cooperation with China on electronic warfare systems, as well as its military and technical contracts with foreign clients, pricing for military items, and logistics schemes aimed at evading sanctions.