According to an investigation conducted by Swiss public broadcaster SRF, Swiss machinery is being used to manufacture Kalashnikovs and other weapons in Russia.
Despite Swiss sanctions, this high-precision machine equipment contributes to Vladimir Putin’s war effort against Ukraine, the investigation has found.
In a Russian arms plant, AK-12 Kalashnikovs are made using GF machine tools; these rifles are the primary weapon used by Putin’s army in their attacks against Ukraine. This is the alarming detail shown in the organization’s promotional video.
When questioned, the Schaffhausen maker claimed to have supplied them before 2018, long before the invasion of Ukraine. “No sanctions or other export control regulations have been violated in this context,” claimed the company.
SRF studied Russian customs data for the first time and discovered that, despite sanctions, more than one hundred machine tools from Swiss producers had made their way to Russia since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
Their transit through foreign countries, particularly Turkey, has made this feasible. For instance, in 2023, the Moutier-based manufacturer Tornos sold two machines to a Turkish importer, which was merely a shell company. They promptly sent the machines to Russia.
Tornos, a producer from Bernese Jura, defended itself, stating that it follows current rules and directions.
According to Swissmem, the industry’s umbrella organization, Swiss firms have nothing to be ashamed of. However, the NGO Transparency International believes that Swiss industries can do better. In any case, if sanctions impede direct exports to Russia, there are other workarounds.
On March 4, Switzerland increased sanctions against Russia. The government is thus implementing the amendments decided upon by the European Union in response to Russia’s continuous military aggression against Ukraine, which has entered its fourth year.
On February 24, the EU imposed additional sanctions against Russia as part of its 16th sanctions package. The Swiss economy ministry, which is responsible for sanctions, revealed that it had taken over certain lists.
Switzerland’s sanctions policy, like that of the EU, affects around 2,400 individuals, corporations, and entities linked to Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.
