Russia has increased imports of nitrocellulose, which is used, in particular, to produce gunpowder for artillery shells.
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The Wall Street Journal writes about this with reference to trading data.
The WSJ writes that only a few countries in the world produce nitrocellulose because its main use is in the production of ammunition and it is subject to international trade restrictions.
Russia produces little nitrocellulose. After the EU and US imposed sanctions against Moscow, China increased supplies of this substance to Russia. However, according to data, one small company in Turkey – Noy – is responsible for almost half of nitrocellulose imports into Russia since the beginning of the war. Through it, Russia purchases raw materials produced in the USA, Germany and Taiwan, the newspaper writes.
According to trade data, companies from the United States, Germany and Taiwan are among the producers of nitrocellulose supplied to Russia over the past two years, journalists write.
China also increased supplies of this compound after the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions by the United States and the European Union, prohibiting exports of any kind to the Russian Armed Forces.
Over the past two years, the Russian importer Analytical Marketing Chemical Group has received nitrocellulose from Taiwan worth almost $700 thousand, the material notes.
The importer is a permanent partner of the Russian Kazan State Powder Plant, which produces a wide range of weapons.
The German company International Flavors & Fragrances, based in New York, sold at least 80 tons of nitrocellulose to the Turkish company Noy, which then sent the material to Russia, the publication emphasizes.
A representative of the German company told reporters that he was surprised by this information and was “categorically against” the continuation of supplies of material to Russia through a third party.
Noy reportedly increased its supply of nitrocellulose to Russia from less than 1 percent to half of all Russian imports during the war.
Taiwanese company TNC Industrial produced more than 500 tons of the material that Noy shipped to Russia last year.
Hagedorn-NC, which has been producing nitrocellulose in the western lowlands of Germany for over a century, has also produced a similar quantity shipped to Russia by Noy over the past two years. Both companies stated that they were not aware of the shipment of nitrocellulose to Russia from a third country.
The United States and the European Union said that the possibility of imposing sanctions against both the manufacturers and the Turkish supplier would be considered.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.