Almost 20 companies in Finland exported components that can be used in Russia's defence industry. These are small logistics companies with founders from the Russian Federation.
Violation of anti-Russian sanctions in Finland: what is known
Companies of Russian origin operating in Finland sent goods used in military equipment to Russia. The customers of these companies have connections with the Russian services and the defence sector.
The Finnish publication of Yle informs of it.
Thus, the investigators found several companies registered in Finland and have connections with the Russian Federation. Instead, their clients are connected to the Russian security forces.
Almost 20 companies were found that exported components that can be used in the defence industry to Russia.
These are small logistics firms whose founders are connected to Russia, and their offices are located in small premises, mainly in the southeastern part of the country, near large logistics centres.
One of the companies in the spotlight operates in the Lappeenranta area. According to customs data, it was found that it supplied various products to Russia, such as sensors, diesel engines, fuel pumps and components for car gearboxes, the publication writes.
Similar Western components were found in Russian equipment destroyed in Ukraine, but not all of it is subject to Western sanctions.
According to the investigation, two clients of this company have ties to the FSB, as indicated by public data on purchases in Russia. One of these client companies even published an appreciation to the FSB for practical cooperation on its website.
The company's representatives refused to comment on this information when talking to journalists.
Supply schemes
Cases of export of various optical and electronic equipment to Russia were also found - either directly or through a Finnish company that acted as an intermediary in the supply chain, through which the equipment reached the Russian buyer.
In particular, there are cases of supplying such equipment to Uzbekistan, which is considered one of the ways of selling sanctioned goods to Russia.
It is unknown what proportion of such sensitive equipment, exported thanks to these companies, ended up in Russian military equipment. However, according to the investigation data, at least nine Russian clients of these Finnish companies have connections with the FSB or the Russian defence-industrial complex.
In another case, a Finnish company exported metalworking equipment to Russia, and information was found about its Russian partner, which includes a defense and military enterprise that manufactures reconnaissance aircraft and bombers among its customers.
The companies contacted for comment did not agree to communicate openly. Several representatives of the firms agreed to speak off the record and, in these comments, denied that they were violating sanctions. They claimed they had no information about their products in the Russian defence industry.
Extras in criminal cases
Journalists also found that at least four firms targeted in the investigation are already involved in criminal proceedings.
Two such companies came under US sanctions in the fall of 2023 because the components they exported were found in Russian drones.
As for one of the companies, it is written that its owner is a French citizen who resides in Finland. According to preliminary data, he is already under arrest for violating sanctions.
More on the topic
- Category
- World
- Publication date
- Додати до обраного
