German-brand goods worth more than €8m were supplied to Russia through third-country intermediaries despite EU sanctions, according to research by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU), Berliner Morgenpost reports.
An ESCU review of Russian import data for 2024–2025 found Mahr goods worth roughly €2.2m in 161 customs filings and nearly €6.8m in Spinner equipment in 16. The consignments included CNC machine tools, micrometers and optical measuring devices. Four electric motors produced by Siemens’ Czech subsidiary were also identified. Shipments were routed through companies in China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, India and other non-EU countries.
ESCU analysts also identified products from these German brands at the Metalloobrabotka-2025 industrial exhibition held in Moscow in June.
“Russia has relied on German equipment for decades because of the precision that is critical for weapons production,” Sashko Adamliuk, Director of Communications at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU), told Berliner Morgenpost.
Because of their potential military application, the EU has banned exports of high-precision equipment to Russia. However, the Kremlin continues to acquire Western technology through third-country channels, circumventing sanctions restrictions.
In response to an inquiry from Berliner Morgenpost, Mahr and Spinner rejected claims that their products had been imported into Russia, calling them “disinformation,” and denied taking part in the Metalloobrabotka exhibition. Siemens said it was not aware of any deliveries of its products to Russia.
Earlier, ESCU found products from 30 companies from Turkey, Taiwan, Italy, South Korea, Germany, Austria, France, Japan and the United States at the Metalloobrabotka-2025 industrial exhibition in Russia.
