The British TV channel Sky News analyzed the data and found out that British companies export equipment worth hundreds of millions of pounds, which most likely ends up in Russia. This undermines the sanctions regime and strengthens the Russian military-industrial complex.
British companies ship equipment for drones, optical instruments and heavy equipment to countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Uzbekistan, from where everything goes to Russia.
The data analysis demonstrated, as the TV channel writes, the extent of Britainʼs participation in the shadow economy, which helps the Russian army produce weapons for the war in Ukraine.
Although the flow of British goods directly to Russia has fallen by 74% since the start of the full-scale war following the imposition of sanctions, they still find their way to the Russian military-industrial complex.
This can be seen in the sharp and unprecedented increase in British exports to a number of former Soviet satellites, from Uzbekistan to Georgia. For example, exports to Kyrgyzstan increased by more than 1 100%, a significant share of which is accounted for by heavy machinery and vehicles.
Supplying Russia with the goods it needs for its war machine to bypass sanctions through countries that have not imposed them is not an invention of British exporters. This situation is observed in many EU countries, in particular in Germany and Poland.
Great Britainʼs export volumes have increased sharply not only to Kyrgyzstan, but also, for example, to Armenia, which later exports a lot of goods to Russia. British exports to this country include a significant number of goods that can be repurposed into weapons.
A Sky News analysis has shown that British exports to four Caucasus and Central Asian states of components that have been documented to be used to kill Ukrainians have increased by more than 500% since the full-scale war began.
Parts of airplanes, helicopters or drones became the largest category of goods that go to Russia through the Caucasus and Central Asian countries. There are also data processing machines, aeronautical equipment and radio navigation aids. Total exports were £6 million.