Journalists from the German television channel Tagesschau have revealed shocking information about the involvement of two German companies, Knauf and WKB Systems, in the reconstruction of Mariupol, a city that bore the brunt of the destructive force of Russian aggression during the war in Ukraine.
Knauf, a global giant in the construction materials sector, is supplying its products for projects in the devastated Mariupol, fulfilling orders from the Russian Ministry of Defense. These details came to light through the disclosure of documents obtained by journalists.
Additionally, the company WKB Systems from Münsterland, North Rhine-Westphalia, is providing equipment for the production of gas-concrete blocks used in the process of building Mariupol. Interestingly, WKB Systems has close ties to the Russian oligarch Viktor Budarin, who owns several construction material factories in Russia.
Especially alarming in this situation is that neither of these companies is subject to sanctions. This indicates that the measures imposed by Western countries against Russia are far from ideal, and some companies find ways to circumvent these restrictions, continuing to do business with the aggressor country.
The reaction to this information within Ukraine and beyond has sparked a storm of outrage. Ukrainian authorities have urged Germany to take necessary measures to halt the support of these companies from Russia in the process of reconstructing a city that suffered from Russian aggression.
This issue holds significant importance not only for Mariupol but also for the broader context of cooperation between Western companies and Russia. Every possible measure must be taken to stop this cooperation, which only strengthens Russia’s position and perpetuates suffering in Ukraine.