A sanctions evasion scheme to supply equipment to Russia’s military-industrial complex has been uncovered in Austria
Kyiv • UNN
An Austrian company from Vienna supplied equipment for the production of engines for Russian missiles and fighter jets by falsifying certificates. A 28-year-old Belarusian citizen has been detained; the damage amounts to €3.3 million.
Austria uncovered a scheme in which a Vienna-based company supplied equipment for the production of engines for Russian missiles and fighter jets, violating European Union sanctions. Reuters reports this, citing the country's Interior Ministry, writes UNN.
Details
According to the ministry, the company falsified end-user certificates in order to supply equipment in circumvention of sanctions. This included, in particular, special metalworking tools and computer numerical control (CNC) machines, which can be used to manufacture parts and tools. The ministry added that a 28-year-old Belarusian citizen who headed the company was arrested in May.
The company, whose name has not been disclosed, concealed its shipments through a network of shell companies in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, Poland and Lithuania.
It is unacceptable for high-precision European technologies to be used in the production of cruise missiles and air defense systems. We will continue to take decisive measures ... against those who attempt to circumvent legal bans on supporting Russia's military industry
According to the ministry, the equipment was supplied to companies linked to the Russian state-owned industrial conglomerate "Rostec." The latest results of the investigation indicate that these goods were used to produce military equipment, including engines for cruise missiles and fighter jets.
Russia's embassy in Vienna declined to comment. "Rostec" did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On the day the main suspect was arrested, law enforcement officers seized CNC machines and specialized tools worth approximately 140,000 euros ($162,000), the ministry said. The suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, remains in custody, while the investigation continues.
Evidence seized during four searches in August last year indicates that, since 2022, industrial goods worth more than 3.3 million euros were supplied to Russian arms manufacturers, the ministry added.