Rare 1915 French war helmet seized at Moscow airport PHOTO

Russian customs officers at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport have detained a 27-year-old woman who attempted to bring a French military helmet dating back to World War I into the country without the required documentation.

The woman arrived in Moscow from London via Cyprus and was stopped while passing through the airport’s “green” customs channel. During an inspection of her luggage, officers discovered a rare steel helmet fitted with a brass plate bearing the inscription, “Soldat de la Grande Guerre 1914-1918.”

The item was identified as an Adrian helmet manufactured in 1915, a model designed by French Army General Auguste Louis Adrian and used by the armed forces of several countries during World War I.

“An examination established that this was a military helmet designed more than 100 years ago by French Army General Auguste Louis Adrian. The item was used by the armed forces of several countries during World War I and is considered a cultural asset,” Russia’s Federal Customs Service said.

The woman told customs officials that she had purchased the helmet at a souvenir shop in France as a gift for a relative. She said she was unaware that importing the item required authorization documents and that it had to be declared.

The helmet has been seized pending further proceedings. Russian authorities have opened a case for failure to declare goods.

The woman faces a fine and possible confiscation of the helmet.

By Vafa Guliyeva