russia circumvents sanctions by purchasing american equipment for the production of military equipment

The banned US-made equipment is being smuggled through Turkey, China, Hong Kong, the UAE and the Maldives.

According to the experts, waterjet machines are used for high-precision cutting of metal, including materials for armour.

This method of operation, based on the use of water jets with abrasive powder under high pressure, avoids overheating of the parts to be processed. This is especially important when working with alloy steels, where overheating can reduce strength by burning out elements, the journalists note.

According to customs data cited by The Insider, in 2024, an Omax waterjet machine was imported into russia, as well as a variety of spare parts from Molex, WSI, KMT, AccuStream and H2O Jet.

The equipment was supplied by the russian company Energy Industries LLC, which has only three employees and whose fixed assets in the balance sheet are estimated at a modest 18 thousand rubles - which, according to journalists, indicates that it is engaged in intermediary work, without production.

The machine was purchased through the allegedly Chinese company Yinuo Supply Chain Management Co Ltd. In fact, this company is registered in Hong Kong, although its director and shareholder Huo Liang is a Chinese citizen. The website of Yinuo Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. could not be found.

This company was active in the russian market throughout 2023, selling both Chinese and Western-made equipment, including equipment embargoed by various countries of Ukraine's coalition of allies.

The UAE-based Gartech FZE supplied American spare parts to the russian company R-Garnet, which specialises in abrasive materials.

The Turkish company Zarif Group Dis Ticaret A.S. imported American parts for the Czech waterjet machine PTV JETS, working through its russian partner, JSC Twim from Yekaterinburg. According to its website and the Czech manufacturer, this company is the official representative of PTV in russia.

JSC Twim is part of a group of companies engaged in waterjet cutting and the supply of equipment and spare parts for cutting materials. The last known government customer of JSC Twim is JSC FTSNIIT SNVO ELERON, which is part of the Rosatom state corporation and deals with security systems at state facilities.

China's Huizhou Speed Waterjet Technology Co., Ltd. sold components to Chelyabinsk-based Centre for the Development of Waterjet Technologies LLC, which served russian scientific and industrial institutions, including Rosatom.

The Insider sent inquiries to Gartech FZE, Zarif Group Dis Ticaret A.S. and PTV, but, according to them, did not receive a meaningful response from any of them.

Source: NV.ua