MiG-31s sold for $5

[jimmy olsen]

 Wow, now that's corruption

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32325828/ns/world_news-europe/

Sold for $5: Russian fighters worth $3.7 million
Anti-corruption check reveals that MiG-31s were bought by 'dummy firm'

updated 5:13 a.m. ET, Fri., Aug 7, 2009

MOSCOW - Russian investigators are probing the illegal sale of four fuselages of MiG-31 interceptor fighter jets that fetched as little as $5, RIA news agency said Thursday.

The aircraft were reportedly worth $3.7 million each.

Corruption is rife across Russia, with the country's President Dmitry Medvedev repeatedly pledging to launch crackdowns and repeatedly complaining this week about officials who demand bribes.

The sale came to light after an anti-corruption check was carried out to see whether regulations were followed during the sale of items from the Sokol Aircraft Construction plant located in the Russian Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod, RIA reported.

"As a result, long-range supersonic interceptor aircraft that were not for sale were purchased by a dummy firm," prosecutors were quoted as saying by RIA.

It did not say where the jet bodies had been found.

[Strix]

Did you ever stop to think that it wasn't corruption but a deal to supply another country with combat aircraft?

Eastbumfuckistan cannot afford planes so Moscow "sells" the planes to them for a "nominal" fee.

[KRonn]

Nice gift, for that former Commissar who has everything...   

[MadImmortalMan]

I'll take a six pack.

[Neil]

Did they get the whole fighter, or just the fuselage?  Either way, you could have done better selling them for scrap.