Russia continues to receive weapon components from Finland
Russia receives weapons components from Finland (GettyImages)
Companies of Russian origin operating in Finland have been sending military goods to Russia. The clients of these companies have ties to Russian intelligence services and the defense sector, according to Yle.
Investigators have identified a number of companies registered in Finland with connections to Russia. However, their clients are linked to Russian security forces. In total, around 20 companies have been found exporting components to Russia that could be used in the defense industry.
These are small logistics firms whose founders have connections to Russia, with offices located in small premises, mostly in the southeastern part of the country, near major logistics centers.
Supplies for the war against Ukraine
One of the companies under scrutiny operates in the Lappeenranta region. Customs data revealed that it supplied various products to Russia, including sensors, diesel engines, fuel pumps, and components for car transmissions.
Similar Western components were found in Russian military equipment destroyed in Ukraine, but not all of it falls under Western sanctions.
Connections to the FSB (Russia's Federal Security Service)
According to the investigation, two clients of this company have connections to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), as indicated by public procurement data in Russia. One of these client companies even publicly thanked the FSB for effective cooperation on its website.
Representatives of the company declined to comment on this information when approached by journalists.
Supply schemes
Cases of exporting various optical and electronic equipment to Russia were also discovered, either directly or through a Finnish company acting as an intermediary in the supply chain, through which the equipment reached Russian buyers.
In particular, there are instances of supplying such equipment to Uzbekistan, considered one of the channels for selling sanctioned goods to Russia.
It is unknown what proportion of such sensitive equipment exported by these companies ended up in Russian military technology. However, according to the investigation, at least nine Russian clients of these Finnish companies have connections to either the FSB or the Russian defense-industrial complex.
Export of metalworking components
In another case, a Finnish company exported metalworking equipment to Russia, and information was found about its Russian partner, which includes clients such as an enterprise engaged in the production of reconnaissance drones and bombers.
Companies approached for comments refused to speak openly. Some representatives agreed to speak off the record and, in these comments, denied violating sanctions. They claimed to have no information about their products ending up in the Russian defense-industrial complex.
Defendants in criminal cases
Journalists also managed to find out that at least four firms highlighted in the investigation are already involved in criminal proceedings. Two of these companies came under U.S. sanctions in the fall of 2023 because components exported by them were found in Russian drones.
As for one of the companies, it is reported that its owner, a French citizen and a resident of Finland, is already under arrest on suspicion of violating sanctions.
Finland's assistance to Ukraine
Officially, Finland has been providing Ukraine with defense and humanitarian aid following the onset of full-scale military aggression by Russia.
Earlier reports indicated that the Finnish government submitted its proposal to parliament for the budget project for the year 2024, which includes an increase in aid to Ukraine.
Recently, the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland, Ville Tavio, announced that the country will provide 3 million euros in aid to improve food security in Ukraine.
It was also reported that the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, has made a decision to provide Ukraine with more military assistance.
