The Ukrainian National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption maintains a list of companies and corporations that support the activities of Russia in a more or less direct way. So far, 15 entities have been included on it, and each case has been justified. These companies include from France, USA, Great Britain, China and Greece, and many brands are known to Poles.
It’s been a year since the Russian invasion against Ukraine. Quite quickly, many companies withdrew from that market as part of an international boycott. However, not all of them, one of the most famous brands is the French chain Auchan. A few days ago, the results of the investigation of the newspaper “Le Monde” by the investigative portal Bellingcat and the Russian independent Insider were published, which shows that Auchan Russia supplies Russian troops at the front under the guise of humanitarian aid. That is why the network was considered “direct sponsor of the war with Ukraine“.
Read more about it in “Journalistic investigation: supplies for Russian soldiers come from Auchan stores. The company “categorically denies“
Not only Auchan supports Russia
The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption presented a list of several companies from eight countries. Including well-known in Poland such as Leroy Merlin, manufacturer of frozen food and canned vegetables – Bonduelle and the American corporation Procter & Gamble.
“In March 2022, P&G announced a reduction in the assortment on the Russian market and promised to leave only health and hygiene products on it. And in August, information appeared that the company no longer invests in business development in the Russian Federation. Despite this, P&G business continues operates and develops in Russia. In particular, in the territory of the Russian Federation, there are still operating household chemicals plants, which are the world’s largest manufacturer of detergents for P&G, and a factory of blades and razors for Gillette,” the NACP states in a release.
It was added that “in this way, the company continues to earn money on the Russian market and feeds the aggressor’s state budget. Only in 2021 will the company it paid approximately $5.2 million in tax and other payments. The company also provides jobs for approx. 2.5 thousand people. Russians”.
It further stated that in March, after the reduction of presence in the Russian market was announced, Procter & Gamble raised prices in Russia by 40%, which practically “compensated for the loss of revenue from the reduction of the brand portfolio. According to the company’s 2022 report, the company’s organic sales in Russia has increased due to this increase in product prices.
China supplies microelectronics
The Ukrainians also included the Chinese company ComNav Technology, which produces microelectronics, on the list of sponsors of the war. It continues to supply Russia with navigation and radar equipment, primarily navigation modules supporting the Russian GLONASS system (equivalent to the American GPS). They can be used in Russian and Iranian drones, as well as in missile systems that are used to shell Ukraine.
– From February 24 to December 30, 2022, ComNav Technology made 73 deliveries in the territory of the Russian Federation for a total amount of USD 2.1 million. Most often, the company supplied Russia with navigation and radar equipment. NACP added ComNav Technology to the list of international sponsors of the war to prevent further use of these technologies to kill Ukrainians, said NACP head Oleksandr Novikov.
Full List of “International War Sponsors”
So far, NACP has listed the following entities on the list of companies that support Russia’s war effort: – Procter&Gamble, – OpenWay Group, – Danieli, – TMS Tankers Ltd., – Minerva Marine Inc., – Thenamaris Ships Management, – Delta Tankers Ltd., – Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd., – Leroy Merlin, – Mondi Group/Mondi PLC, – eKassir, – Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry – Bonduelle.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA