BUSINESS

Despite sanctions, Russia continues buying missile components in Europe

Companies of the Almaz-Antey concern of the Russian military industrial complex are holding tenders for products of foreign manufacturers.

Russia’s Almaz-Antey Concern produces anti-aircraft missile and radar equipment for the Russian army, including the infamous C300, C400, C500 Buks, and has also been under sanctions since 2014. Europeans are forbidden to trade with it directly and indirectly, even via dealers.

However, companies within the concern are holding tenders for the products of foreign manufacturers. The goods are probably delivered to “peaceful” Russian companies, who then send them to the military.

“Almaz-Antey concluded tenders for the equipment of the Swiss Blaser Swisslube, American Nvidia and Indium, German Zoller, Walter, Techlube GmbH, British GARANT, and no sanctions stopped that,” the article reads.

Exports of dual-use goods are quite large in Russia. Welt am Sonntag writes that in 2020, Germany alone issued 673 export licenses to Russia for 366 million euros.

Some companies supplied goods for military needs even without obtaining special licenses. For example, the German Bosch insisted that it sells car equipment exclusively for peaceful purposes, and its equipment was found on Russian BMPs seized by the Ukrainian army.

We remind you:

The team of Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Dubilet presented a public list of foreign companies whose products had been seen in tenders of companies related to the Russian military industrial complex concern Almaz-Antey.

Russia’s Lipetsk Mechanical Plant is helping Russia’s defense concern Kalashnikov bypass EU sanctions and cooperate with foreign companies.

The EU prepared an internal report on how manufacturers of military and dual-use products that need government export approval continued to export to Russia, bypassing existing sanctions.

Ukraine Front Lines