The SBU exposed a large-scale scheme to circumvent anti-Russian sanctions organized by the Kyiv Central Design Bureau of Armature Construction. The company’s general director and two of his subordinates were arrested on suspicion of aiding the aggressor state.
The design bureau is a monopolist in the field of development, serial production, and supply of pipeline fittings for nuclear power plants. Until February 2022 the company exported its products to the Russian Federation through its dealer in Moscow. Their primary customer was Rosatom, which used Ukrainian pipe fittings to construct power units globally at five nuclear power plants.
The bureau continued this cooperation after the full-scale invasion began, despite the ban on the export of goods to Russia’s customs territory and sanctions against Rosatom. The company developed a scheme for bypassing sanction restrictions. According to the SBU, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion these illegal plots have totaled 16 export transactions for Russia’s benefit, amounting to almost UAH 42M.