Chrome is a critical material for the Russian defense industry: it is covered with guns to reduce wear and shells to prevent corrosion.
About half of the chromium needed for making Russian guns and shells were provided by a company from Bavaria. It reports about it Handelsblatt With reference to export data.
According to published information, from January 2023 to April 2024, the EKC, based in Franconia, exported Chrome to Russia for 24.2 million euros. This is approximately 50% of Russia’s total chrome imports for the specified period.
Chrome is a critical material for the Russian defense industry: it is covered with guns to reduce wear and shells to prevent corrosion. Representatives of the German defense industry claim that thanks to the strain, the resource of artillery systems may increase three times.
The company has not kept its business and opens activity areas on the website. Judging by these data, it was established in 2006 by Vladimir Platunov. He is currently a general director. The financial director – Evgeny Porokhny, Sales Manager – Oleg Krylov. The company has only 21 employees. The site lists six of them, they all speak Russian. The company has representatives in China and Turkey, as well as branches in the USA and Slovenia. The company itself calls itself a “global raw material trader.”
The gunpowder told Handelsblatt that he and Platunov were citizens of the Russian Federation, both of Germany lived in Germany for 28 years. According to the publication, they have a tax number in Russia.
According to Handelsblatt, among EKC.Ag customers in Russia in 2017 there was a Uralvagonzavod, where they made armored vehicles for the army. It is unclear if this cooperation continued after the invasion of Ukraine, the newspaper note. Gunpowder said no. According to him, the Russian Federation does not require chrome ore, as it has its own reserves.
After the investigation, the EKC was under penalties. On February 24, 2025, Great Britain brought him to the list of penalties. In response, the financial director of EKC Evgeny Porokhny said the penalties were “illegal” and the company was following all international restrictions. EKC plans to challenge the decision in court.
Remember that the security service has removed another procedure for avoiding penalties for the supply of Ukrainian products in the Russian Federation. Attacks selling wholesale parties of domestic warming systems for the needs of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation have been identified.
Putin ordered to prepare for the return of western companies to the Russian Federation – Media
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Source: korrespondent
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.