Poland has imposed sanctions on steel companies, bypassing the Russian EU ban.
Poland has imposed autonomous sanctions, in addition to EU measures, against STEELTRADE Sp. z o.o. – the former EMK Group – and OMNI GRP Sp. z o.o. for indirectly supporting Russia's war against Ukraine through the export and re-export of metal and steel products prohibited by EU sanctions.
The Polish State Tax Administration reports that STEELTRADE and OMNI GRP exported steel sheets, thick-sheet and flat rolled products made of alloy and non-alloy steel or cast iron, including high-strength, wear-resistant DILLIDUR sheets. These firms may also have exported Uddeholm Dievar steel, a high-quality alloy that is valued for its exceptional strength, lightness, and durability and is widely used in defect manufacturing. Therefore, the authorities assume that these materials were intended for Russian defense plants, which indirectly supported the country's military industry.
STEELTRADE, registered in 2019 and controlled by Belarusian citizen Vladimir Lyashchuk, exported almost 30 million Polish zlotys ($8.25 million) worth of steel to Russia in 2021-22, later redirecting more than 110 million Polish zlotys to Kazakhstan, and then through an intermediary from Hong Kong for re-export to Russia, according to Polish authorities. It is reported that more than 200 shipments were sent to Russia.
OMNI GRP, founded in 2022 and headed by Andrey Karpovich, together with Lyashchuk and Veranika Pental, carried out similar exports to Turkey, China and Kazakhstan with deliveries to Russia through intermediaries.
The sanctions announced on October 7 are aimed at curbing Russia's industrial potential and limiting its access to crucial steel production facilities, Kallanish said.
Elina Virchenko UAE
Kallanish.com