"Hello, Minister Durraman, Admiral Maharajah. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please allow me to introduce the gentleman beside me—Major General Andrei from Engels Air Force Base in Russia..." Mavi skillfully facilitated the introductions.
As his status and background continued to rise, so did the scale of matters he could participate in and the level of attention he received. Previously, when negotiating ship sales with the Indian Navy, Mavi represented the shipyard as its chairman.
This time, however, he was directly selected as a representative, participating in the reception alongside a Russian Air Force major general. This demonstrated the high level of trust and importance the Russian military placed on Mavi.
"Nice to meet you, Major General Andrei. Nice to meet you, Mr. Mavi. Thank you both for hosting us today," said Minister Durraman, extending his right hand to shake hands with both men. Admiral Maharajah followed suit, exchanging a few pleasantries with them.
To make this collaboration appear more grand, Mavi had specially brought along his two newly purchased Mercedes G63 AMG luxury custom armored vehicles.
On the surface, these two vehicles looked identical to the standard Mercedes G63 AMG, but their security features were on an entirely different level. The vehicles were handcrafted by Inkas and provided B6-level ballistic protection, certified by the German Ballistic Testing Center. They could withstand 7.62x51mm caliber rifle rounds, fires, grenades, and heavy ordnance such as the M80.
Beyond their impressive bulletproof and explosion-resistant capabilities, Mavi's Mercedes G63 AMG custom armored vehicles were also exceptionally luxurious inside. They included satellite television, heated leather seats, a cooling system, an entertainment media center, and even a specially designed black box to monitor the vehicle's performance in case of emergencies.
Since these custom armored vehicles had not yet been released on the market, it was the first time Minister Durraman and Admiral Maharajah had seen such a stylish yet highly secure luxury armored vehicle.
"Mr. Mavi, your Mercedes bulletproof vehicles are truly impressive!" Minister Durraman couldn't help but give Mavi a thumbs-up. If possible, he would love to order one upon returning to his country—and ideally, secure one for Malaysia's Supreme Head of State and the Prime Minister as well.
"You flatter me, Minister Durraman. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to order these two vehicles from Mercedes," Mavi responded humbly, maintaining his modest and reserved demeanor. This attitude was well-received by Minister Durraman, Admiral Maharajah, and even Major General Andrei.
Of course, all three of them knew that luxury custom-made armored vehicles like these weren't something one could just 'happen' to order. If Mavi didn't have close ties with the Mercedes manufacturer, there was no way they would have provided him with vehicles that hadn't even entered the market yet.
"Mr. Mavi, you are far too humble. For someone your age to be this modest is truly rare," Admiral Maharajah praised him. He recalled that when he was Mavi's age, he had been arrogant and reckless—so much so that his excessive flamboyance nearly cost him his life.
"You're too kind, Admiral Maharajah," Mavi replied with a smile as he ushered the two Malaysian VIPs into the vehicle. Then, he and Major General Andrei got into the second Mercedes G63 AMG armored vehicle.
As the bulletproof Mercedes slowly started moving, Major General Andrei turned to Mavi and asked, "Mr. Mavi, what do you think the chances are of successfully securing a deal with the Malaysian military? How many fighter jets do you think they'll purchase?"
Since Mavi had gifted five Tupolev bombers to the Russian Air Force two weeks ago, his family's relationship with the Russian Air Force had grown even closer. In fact, the news had reached high-ranking officials, earning praise from the Russian Air Force Commander. It was unknown whether Putin himself had taken notice…
"The success of this deal will depend on how well the pilots perform, Major General Andrei. However, I do know that Malaysia does have a genuine need for these aircraft," Mavi responded with a smile. This order was critical for him as well—his bank account was once again on the verge of dropping to eight figures.
"You don't need to worry about their performance, Mr. Mavi. I personally selected these pilots—they won't make any mistakes," Major General Andrei assured him confidently. This deal was equally important to the Russian Air Force.
They had previously heard about Mavi securing a $1 billion order from India for the Russian Navy, and now the Air Force was eager to see if he could work his magic for them as well.
Speaking of the Russian Air Force, one couldn't ignore its two major aircraft design bureaus:
- The Sukhoi Design Bureau, which developed the Su-24 and Su-27 fighter jets.
- The Mikoyan Design Bureau, which focused on the MiG-29 fighters.
From the name alone, it was clear that the Mikoyan Design Bureau was closely linked to Mavi's Mikoyan family.
However, within this large family, Mavi did not hold the highest rank or power. Otherwise, his parents wouldn't have left him only a small military factory…
"Very well, Major General Andrei. That puts my mind at ease," Mavi nodded.
Whether it was the Navy or the Air Force, the reality was that Russia's defense industry was on the verge of collapse.
Take his family's Mikoyan Design Bureau, for example—it was severely underfunded and lacked the necessary resources to develop next-generation MiG fighter jets.
Under military escort, the Mercedes convoy sped along the route, which had been completely secured ahead of time. Two Tiger armored vehicles led the way, creating an impressive scene.
Approximately 45 minutes later, the Mercedes convoy arrived at the Engels Air Force Base perimeter.
The moment Malaysia's Dassault Falcon aircraft entered Russian airspace, Engels Air Force Base had already begun monitoring their movements.
Their landing, the switch to Mercedes vehicles, and every action along the way were all closely watched and protected by the base.
At that moment, inside the base's command center, a Russian Air Force colonel reported to an elderly officer standing in front of an electronic screen.
"General, Major General Andrei and Mr. Mavi have successfully escorted the Malaysian Minister of Defense and Air Force General onto our base."
"Understood. In 15 minutes, initiate the official flight demonstration," the elderly general responded calmly, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Yes, General!" The colonel acknowledged the order and left the command center with his subordinates to prepare for the mission.
Meanwhile, at the main entrance of Engels Air Force Base, the Mercedes convoy passed through security checks and successfully entered the base.
(End of Chapter)