As the Russia She was trying to increase military production for the war in Ukraine, a state -owned explosive manufacturer bypassing western sanctions by buying German equipment Siemensopening a new tab from an intermediary that introduces technology from China.
The acquisition of Siemens’ equipment required for the automation of machinery in the factory Biysk Oleum Factory (Boz), in southern Siberia, performed through a intermediary From Russia supplying industrial technology from Chinese wholesalers and resellers, according to Customs and State Supplies records examined by Reuters.
Obtaining equipment shows how Russian military companies managed to easily avoid western sanctions to increase their production. US President Donald Trump has given Moscow a deadline until Friday (07.08.2025) to agree on a ceasefire in Ukraine, otherwise he will face additional sanctions.
BOZ’s parent company, federal state -owned YA. M. Sverdlov Plant, is already subject to sanctions by the US and the EU for its contribution to the Russian war operation.
Boz signed agreement In October 2022 to acquire Siemens’ equipment by the Russian intermediary, the Techpriboras the procurement files show. Shortly before the expiration of the 140 -day deadline for delivery of equipment, TechPRIBor received a mission from a Chinese supplier of industrial equipment under the name Huizhou Funn Tek, based in Guangdong Province, as the customs elements show.
Comparing Siemens’ product codes with customs codes and examining the descriptions in the documents, Reuters found that two Siemens power adjustment devices supplied by Huizhou Funn Tek were identical to the models or Boz.
Reuters did not find evidence to prove that Siemens knew that her equipment was sold to the Russian explosive manufacturer.
A spokesman for the German multinational engineering company said the company is strictly complying with international sanctions and requires its customers itself, but added that some products may reach Russia without knowing it.
Although it is well documented that Russian Defense Equipment Manufacturers are supplying Western technology from China, Reuters reports refer to equipment to show how a Russian defense company can obtain western equipment without difficulty.
Since Russia began its complete invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Boz plant, in Bisk, southern Siberia, has been in an expansion phase. According to a Reuters survey, the factory is manufacturing new facilities to produce another type of high -power, RDX.
The acquisition of automated machine tools is vital for the Russian defense sector to produce more ammunition. They allow higher productivity with fewer workers, which is vital as the sector is facing lack of workforce, according to an October 2024 report, opens a new tab from British Defense Think Tank Rusi and Open Source Center, an organization that uses open data.
Russia has limited History in the production of its own automated machine tools and defense equipment manufacturers are often forced to import them.
Konrad Muzyka, director of Rochan Military Counseling in Poland, said the continued delivery of western construction machinery in Russia extends war, fueling the Moscow re -equipment effort.
‘These high -precision components are often irreplaceable In advanced construction processes, such as rocket production, drones assembly and tanker renovation, “he said. “Without them, Russia’s ability to maintain or expand its war efforts would be more time consuming, expensive and would overwhelm the labor market more».
The Russian mediator
The documents of the competition located in the database of state procurement showed that in 2022 and 2023, the parent company of Boz bought three sets of Siemens’s industrial equipment and clarified that they were intended for the factory in biscuit. Electronic devices, bearing the Siemens Simatic subcategory, can be connected to industrial machinery, allowing them to automate and remote monitoring.
The contest documents identified the company that won the contract for the supply of part of the equipment: The TechPrBor Company LLC, which is registered in the Russian region of Kaliningrad, located between Poland and Lithuania. Reuters looked at confidential data from the tax service confirming that the company had traded with the BOZ parent company.
Looking at the details of Russian Customs, Reuters found that TechPribor, between February and November 2023, Introduced Siemens equipment missions from companies to China.
TechPribor bought several missions on the same date from Huizhou Funn Tek, which describes herself as Automation Industrial Equipment Merchant. The missions included them two power regulators of Siemens that corresponded to Boz’s order.
The data examined by Reuters does not contain enough information to prove that the power regulators in customs documents were the ones delivered to Boz. However, the evidence shows that they are Siemens’s same equipment model. On her website, Huizhou Funn Tek reports Siemens as’part-time».
A Huizhou Funn Tek spokesman said the company was able to buy directly from Siemens. “They don’t ask who the final user is,” he said. Although Huizhou Funn Tek has many Russian customers, it would not send goods to businesses that could use them for military purposes, the spokesman said.
Omission of sanctions
Later in 2023, TechPribor introduced more Siemens equipment missions from a different Chinese supplier, New Source Automation Co., Ltd., based in Xiamen, in southeast China. The equipment on these missions belonged to the same category of products as the devices supplied by Boz, but there was not enough information to make accurate matching.
A New Source Automation manager confirmed that his company supplied equipment to TechPRIBOR. He also said that his company can supply as many Siemens products needed and that Siemens doesn’t ask who the end user is.
Neither Huizhou Funn Tek nor New Source Automation responded to Reuters’ written requests for comments. The Siemens spokesman said he was asking all of her clients to comply with western sanctions, but did not answer a question immediately about whether Huizhou is a partner company. Siemens will immediately investigate any indication of violations of sanctions and will inform the competent authorities, he said.
Siemens’ supply of Siemens equipment to Russia highlights what European politicians characterize themselves as important gap that helps Russia continue its war against Ukraine.
The sanctions of the European Union and the US prohibit The companies based in these jurisdictions to supply goods or services that could help Russia in the war. Russian manufacturers of defense equipment have been able to avoid this barrier by supplying west construction equipment from wholesalers and resellers in China.
EU leaders have taken steps to close this gap. In December 2024, the Union for the first time imposed full sanctions on Chinese companies to supply parts to Russian defense companies. On July 18, other 7 companies From China and Hong Kong they were added to the list of sanctions. Union diplomacy leader, Kaya Callas, said in February that exports of goods from China fed the war of Russia against Ukraine and called on Beijing to stop them.
The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The Russian Ministry of Defense did not answer questions about the work done by the Boz factory for the army. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce also did not respond to a request for comment.
Explosives for Russian bombs
Boz manufactures explosives TNT and HMX, according to a video marketing video released by the factory. Although these explosives also have non -military uses, Boz’s parent company is one manufacturer of defensive equipment belonging to the Russian stateand Boz runs orders for the Ministry of Defense, according to the regional administration website.
BOZ factory expansion was part of a broader effort of Russian defense sector to increase the production of explosives.
Lack of materials is one of the obstacles that slow down Russian production of ammunition, shells and bombs thrown by air, forcing her to supply ammunition from its allies, North Korea and Iranaccording to Ukrainian intelligence officials and Western defense analysts.