Over $30 million worth of aircraft tyres from major Western manufacturers, including Michelin and Dunlop, entered Russia last year, despite sanctions designed to block such trade.
According to a report from Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), intermediaries from countries like China, Turkey, and the UAE facilitated the shipment of these tyres, bypassing international trade restrictions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia remains heavily dependent on foreign-made aviation tyres, with customs data showing the bulk of 2023 imports originating from firms in France, the UK, the US, and Japan. Michelin accounted for 70% of these imports, valued at $28 million, with some products used on planes operated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Sanctions imposed by the US and EU in early 2022 targeted aviation tyre sales to Russia, followed by further restrictions from the UK and Japan later that year. Despite these measures, significant quantities of tyres continued to flow into Russia through third-party countries, using complex transit routes to conceal the true destination.
The NACP report suggests many shipments entered Russia through China, Central Asia, and the Gulf, while others arrived directly from the West, raising concerns about loopholes in the sanctions framework. False transit schemes or changes in shipment destinations were likely used to circumvent controls, the report states.
Michelin, the largest supplier of tyres to Russia, confirmed its investigation into the report’s findings. The company emphasized that it halted exports to Russia in March 2022 and remains committed to compliance with all sanctions. Goodyear, Dunlop, and Bridgestone, also implicated in the report, are conducting internal reviews to ensure their operations adhere to international trade restrictions.
Birmingham-based Dunlop saw $1.2 million worth of tyres imported to Russia, with 70% originating directly from the UK. Dunlop has yet to respond to inquiries. Goodyear tyres valued at $5.7 million entered Russia, half of which passed through China. Bridgestone products, totaling $800,000, were shipped from the UK, India, and other nations.
Russia’s efforts to develop a domestic aviation tyre industry remain in their infancy, with just one plant, Yaroslavl Tyre Plant, operational 300 miles from Moscow. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers contributed to 10% of Russia’s tyre imports in 2023.
A UK government spokesperson emphasized the necessity for businesses to exercise strict due diligence to prevent their products from reaching Russia, warning of steep penalties for any violations. The government remains committed to closing off all avenues for evading these sanctions.
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