Finnish defense experts say Russia is also likely to have used equipment meant for the commercial market for military purposes.
After Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, hundreds of heavy equipment vehicles were exported to Russia via Finland.
EU sanctions did not yet apply to tractors and bulldozers, despite the fact that Russia was able to use such equipment in the war effort.
An investigation by Eel’s Swedish-language investigative unit Spotlight reveals that heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar and its dealer Zeppelin International sold hundreds of vehicles to Russia after Russia attacked Ukraine. .
Russian customs data shows that in 2022, excavators, bulldozers and front-end loaders arrived from the Finnish port city of Kotka and via Helsinki and Hanko. Customs data further revealed that 270 of the heavy vehicles were imported into Russia via Russia. Finland that year.
After arriving in Russia, the vehicles were transported to the dealerships of the Swiss company Zeppelin International in St. Petersburg and Moscow. In addition to Russia, the company has stores in the southern city of Krasnodar and the Crimea Peninsula, which Russia previously annexed from Ukraine.
Russia has built thousands of kilometers of trenches, trenches, and tank roadblocks in the occupied territories of Ukraine and along Russia’s borders.
MP Pekka Tver (NCP) is a former Finnish Director of Defense Intelligence and a retired general with 40 years of military experience.
Tver said Russia likely also used equipment meant for the commercial market for military purposes.
“There is no need for armored equipment. Civilian backhoes can be used not only to dig mass graves and trenches, but also to improve roads and repair bridges and other infrastructure destroyed by the Ukrainian army. Enough is enough,” Tveri explained.
Russian freelance journalists assisted Ale’s Spotlight team in investigating posts on the Russian social media platform Telegram that featured photos and videos taken in the Russia-Ukraine border area.
Members of the Spotlight team also viewed the footage, which showed heavy equipment normally used for civilian purposes being used for military purposes in border areas.
The EU announced its fifth round of sanctions against Russia in April 2022, including a ban on the export of heavy machinery to the country.
However, according to the head of the enforcement department at Finnish Customs, Sami Rakshitthere is a loophole.
“There are caterpillars and there are caterpillars. Sanctions apply to some types of heavy equipment but not others,” he explained.
It turns out that the EU export ban only affects tires with rubber tires, and tires that move on tracks continue to be delivered to Russia.
The ban on such equipment first came into force in February 2023, a year after Russia invaded Ukraine, under the terms of the EU’s 10th sanctions package.
Companies claim to be following the rules
Caterpillar’s authorized dealer, Zeppelin International, did not respond to Spotlight’s request for an interview, but provided an emailed statement.
Do you know if there are any facilities? [that Zeppelin has sold] Was it used to build trenches near Russia’s border with Ukraine?
“Zeppelin’s exports to Russia have always been carried out in full compliance with all export control and sanctions laws. “This means we have completely stopped supplying Russia’s strategic industries,” the company said in an emailed response.
In the wake of Russia’s all-out attack on Ukraine, US-based heavy equipment company Caterpillar has taken a strong stance against the invasion and closed its factories in Russia. However, the company continues to export excavators and bulldozers to the country.
Caterpillar also declined to be interviewed, but issued a short statement via email.
“Caterpillar is committed to working in accordance with the values of our Code of Conduct, which means conducting business activities in compliance with laws and regulations,” the company email said. .
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