Walter Finch
A SPANISH firm has been accused of helping send a powerful piece of military machinery to Russia, sparking outrage over how such equipment is slipping through sanctions during the war in Ukraine.
The Albacete company, Forward Technical Trade SL, reportedly sold the giant forging machine to a Russian arms supplier for around €1.2 million.
The 110-tonne device is designed to shape thick metal into precise forms – making it ideal for producing large-calibre artillery barrels.
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Although the equipment was originally made in Austria in the 1980s, experts say it is still highly useful for Russia’s defence industry, which is scrambling to replace worn-out gun barrels after more than three years of intense fighting in Ukraine.
The deal was routed through a company in Hong Kong before being delivered to the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod.
Court records from Russia show customs officials raised questions about how the machine should be classified, a detail that may have affected whether the sale broke export rules.
Britain’s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) has previously warned that machines like this are critical to Russia’s ability to keep its heavy artillery firing.
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Russia is unable to produce precision machine tools, meaning it relies on exports from advanced economies – almost all of which have slapped sanctions on the country in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
The case has raised alarm over how Europe’s sanctions are being bypassed using third-party countries and older equipment not always covered by strict controls.
There is no indication the Spanish firm knowingly broke the law, but critics say the loophole shows the urgent need for tougher enforcement and clearer rules on military-use technology.
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