German-based tech firm Kontron exported delicate know-how to Russia by way of its Slovenian subsidiary, Kontron doo, regardless of a brand new spherical of EU sanctions, Politico reported on Might 23.
In accordance with the outlet, Kontron used the Slovenian entity to ship over 3.5 million euro ($3.9 million) price of telecommunications gear to its Russian subsidiary, Iskra Applied sciences, between July and November 2023.
The shipments included 11 deliveries and included the SI3000 telecommunications platform — a dual-use product able to monitoring and intercepting communications.
The transfer appeared to bypass a number of rounds of EU sanctions launched in 2023 concentrating on dual-use and delicate applied sciences, in accordance with Politico.
Kontron mentioned the exports have been associated to pre-sanction contracts and have been licensed by Slovenian authorities beneath beforehand issued licenses. Nonetheless, the media outlet reported that EU sanctions apply to all dual-use know-how contracts, together with these signed earlier than the restrictions took impact.
Exceptions could exist, however solely in particular circumstances equivalent to cybersecurity, medical use, or emergencies — and provided that licensed by the related nationwide authorities.
Regardless of intensive Western sanctions aimed toward reducing off provide traces, Russia continues to acquire sanctioned items, equivalent to microchips, by way of third-party international locations.
Kyiv's allies have sought to halt the Kremlin's capacity to bypass sanctions.
Earlier this week on Might 20, EU adoptedthe seventeenth bundle of sanctions towards Russia, primarily concentrating on its shadow fleet of oil tankers.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy