A court in Germany has sentenced a 59-year-old citizen with dual German-Russian citizenship to six years and nine months in prison for selling electronics to Russian companies for military use in defiance of sanctions. According to Reuters, from January 2020 to May 2023 the businessman transported to Russia 120,000 parts which could be used for military purposes, particularly in Orlan-10 drones.
The court noted that the accused tried to hide the sales through documents with destinations such as Hong Kong and Turkey. The accused confessed to the crime and expressed regret. His 54-year-old business partner received a suspended sentence.
This case is one of many in Europe. Logistics company HT Rus helped the Russian Federation circumvent sanctions, and in the Czech Republic, businessman Vladimir Lihutin became the first person convicted of violating anti-Russian sanctions. The Dutch company Dieseko paid 1.78 million euros for participation in constructing the Kerch Bridge.