Moved text← Previous revisionRevision as of 15:55, 1 November 2026 Line 21: Line 21: == History == == History == Originally a part of the [[Ministry of Defense Industry (Soviet Union)|Soviet Ministry of Defense Industry]] as a laboratory{{cite web|url=https://spartaterm.ru/clients|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261014175105/https://spartaterm.ru/clients|title=Ключевые клиенты компании "Спарта"|archive-date=October 14, 2026|url-status=live}} led by Mikhail Vladimirovich Silnikov, it was later reorganized in 1993 as a private company following the [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union]].{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.spb.ru/gov/terr/reg_viborg/news/314218/|title=Руководитель «НПО Спецматериалов» Михаил Владимирович Сильников награжден знаком «За заслуги перед Выборгским районом»|date=April 7, 2026|language=Russian|publisher=[[Saint Petersburg City Administration]]|access-date=October 14, 2026}} Originally a part of the [[Ministry of Defense Industry (Soviet Union)|Soviet Ministry of Defense Industry]] as a laboratory{{cite web|url=https://spartaterm.ru/clients|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261014175105/https://spartaterm.ru/clients|title=Ключевые клиенты компании "Спарта"|archive-date=October 14, 2026|url-status=live}} led by Mikhail Vladimirovich Silnikov, it was later reorganized in 1993 as a private company following the [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union]].{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.spb.ru/gov/terr/reg_viborg/news/314218/|title=Руководитель «НПО Спецматериалов» Михаил Владимирович Сильников награжден знаком «За заслуги перед Выборгским районом»|date=April 7, 2026|language=Russian|publisher=[[Saint Petersburg City Administration]]|access-date=October 14, 2026}} ⚫ On March 31, 2026, the staff of NPO SM were awarded the [[Order of Alexander Nevsky]] by [[Vladimir Putin]]. The award was presented by [[St. Petersburg]] governor [[Alexander Beglov]].{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.spb.ru/press/governor/313725/|title=Александр Беглов передал коллективу «НПО Спецматериалов» орден Александра Невского и прикрепил его к знамени предприятия|date=March 31, 2026|language=Russian|publisher=[[Saint Petersburg City Administration]]|access-date=October 14, 2026}}{{cite web|url=https://peterburg2.ru/news/orden-aleksandra-nevskogo-vruchen-kollektivu-npo-specmaterialov-v-peterburge-230554.html|title=Орден Александра Невского вручен коллективу «НПО Спецматериалов» в Петербурге|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260417034949/https://peterburg2.ru/news/orden-aleksandra-nevskogo-vruchen-kollektivu-npo-specmaterialov-v-peterburge-230554.html|date=April 1, 2026|archive-date=April 17, 2026|url-status=live}} NPO SM was sanctioned by the [[United States Department of the Treasury]] on June 12, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20240612|date=June 12, 2024|title=Russia-related Designations; Publication of Russia-related Determination; Issuance of Russia-related General Licenses and Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=[[United States Department of the Treasury]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261016235012/https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20240612|archive-date=October 16, 2026|url-status=live}} NPO SM was sanctioned by the [[United States Department of the Treasury]] on June 12, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20240612|date=June 12, 2024|title=Russia-related Designations; Publication of Russia-related Determination; Issuance of Russia-related General Licenses and Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=[[United States Department of the Treasury]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261016235012/https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20240612|archive-date=October 16, 2026|url-status=live}} ⚫ On March 31, 2026, the staff of NPO SM were awarded the [[Order of Alexander Nevsky]] by [[Vladimir Putin]]. The award was presented by [[St. Petersburg]] governor [[Alexander Beglov]].{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.spb.ru/press/governor/313725/|title=Александр Беглов передал коллективу «НПО Спецматериалов» орден Александра Невского и прикрепил его к знамени предприятия|date=March 31, 2026|language=Russian|publisher=[[Saint Petersburg City Administration]]|access-date=October 14, 2026}}{{cite web|url=https://peterburg2.ru/news/orden-aleksandra-nevskogo-vruchen-kollektivu-npo-specmaterialov-v-peterburge-230554.html|title=Орден Александра Невского вручен коллективу «НПО Спецматериалов» в Петербурге|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260417034949/https://peterburg2.ru/news/orden-aleksandra-nevskogo-vruchen-kollektivu-npo-specmaterialov-v-peterburge-230554.html|date=April 1, 2026|archive-date=April 17, 2026|url-status=live}} === 2020 Criminal investigation === === 2020 Criminal investigation === In November 2020, numerous Russian outlets began reporting that the [[Investigative Committee of Russia]] had opened a criminal case against NPO SM over allegations that NPO SM had purchased more than 40,000 Chinese [[riot helmet|riot helmets]] in order to fulfill state contracts from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, while misrepresenting the helmets as domestically produced models. The Investigative Committee estimated the cost of damages at 48 million rubles.{{cite web|url=https://www.mskagency.ru/materials/3059159|date=November 11, 2020|title=СК возбудил дело о мошенничестве с ущербом на 48 млн руб. после поставки полиции китайских шлемов|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250628191002/https://www.mskagency.ru/materials/3059159|archive-date=June 28, 2025|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rline.tv/news/2020-11-11-mvd-tri-goda-pokupalo-kitayskie-shlemy-pod-vidom-rossiyskoy-razrabotki/|date=November 11, 2020|title=МВД три года покупало китайские шлемы под видом российской разработки|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261016040144/https://www.rline.tv/news/2020-11-11-mvd-tri-goda-pokupalo-kitayskie-shlemy-pod-vidom-rossiyskoy-razrabotki/|archive-date=October 16, 2026|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://tass.ru/ekonomika/9958285|date=November 10, 2020|title=НПО Спецматериалов заподозрили в поставке МВД китайских шлемов под видом своей разработки|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250714031103/https://tass.ru/ekonomika/9958285|archive-date=July 14, 2025|url-status=live}} Mikhail Silnikov, CEO and general designer at NPO SM, denied the allegations{{cite web|url=https://www.interfax.ru/russia/736970|date=November 13, 2020|title=НПО "Спецматериалов" отрицает китайское происхождение шлемов "Колпак"|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606082720/https://www.interfax.ru/russia/736970|archive-date=June 6, 2023|url-status=live}} and claimed that similarities to Chinese models were simply due to shared design origins. Ultimately, the case did not move forward and the Russian government continued to do business with NPO SM.{{cite web|url=https://argumenti.ru/society/2022/10/794037|date=October 14, 2022|title=НПО "Спецматериалов" отрицает китайское происхождение шлемов "Колпак"|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261015210852/https://argumenti.ru/society/2022/10/794037|archive-date=October 15, 2026|url-status=live}} In November 2020, numerous Russian outlets began reporting that the [[Investigative Committee of Russia]] had opened a criminal case against NPO SM over allegations that NPO SM had purchased more than 40,000 Chinese [[riot helmet|riot helmets]] in order to fulfill state contracts from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, while misrepresenting the helmets as domestically produced models. The Investigative Committee estimated the cost of damages at 48 million rubles.{{cite web|url=https://www.mskagency.ru/materials/3059159|date=November 11, 2020|title=СК возбудил дело о мошенничестве с ущербом на 48 млн руб. после поставки полиции китайских шлемов|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250628191002/https://www.mskagency.ru/materials/3059159|archive-date=June 28, 2025|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rline.tv/news/2020-11-11-mvd-tri-goda-pokupalo-kitayskie-shlemy-pod-vidom-rossiyskoy-razrabotki/|date=November 11, 2020|title=МВД три года покупало китайские шлемы под видом российской разработки|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261016040144/https://www.rline.tv/news/2020-11-11-mvd-tri-goda-pokupalo-kitayskie-shlemy-pod-vidom-rossiyskoy-razrabotki/|archive-date=October 16, 2026|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://tass.ru/ekonomika/9958285|date=November 10, 2020|title=НПО Спецматериалов заподозрили в поставке МВД китайских шлемов под видом своей разработки|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250714031103/https://tass.ru/ekonomika/9958285|archive-date=July 14, 2025|url-status=live}} Mikhail Silnikov, CEO and general designer at NPO SM, denied the allegations{{cite web|url=https://www.interfax.ru/russia/736970|date=November 13, 2020|title=НПО "Спецматериалов" отрицает китайское происхождение шлемов "Колпак"|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606082720/https://www.interfax.ru/russia/736970|archive-date=June 6, 2023|url-status=live}} and claimed that similarities to Chinese models were simply due to shared design origins. Ultimately, the case did not move forward and the Russian government continued to do business with NPO SM.{{cite web|url=https://argumenti.ru/society/2022/10/794037|date=October 14, 2022|title=НПО "Спецматериалов" отрицает китайское происхождение шлемов "Колпак"|language=Russian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20261015210852/https://argumenti.ru/society/2022/10/794037|archive-date=October 15, 2026|url-status=live}}