An analysis of contracts from the State Procurement website shows that the Russian subsidiaries of Evraz have been supplying the military directly and indirectly for more than a decade.
According to the documents, the companies cooperated with the National Guard and enterprises that supply the army, as well as produce tanks and explosives.
For example, from 2015 to 2018, Evraz ZSMK (West Siberian Iron and Steel Works) received over $2.8 million to ship toluene from a state-owned plant that produces industrial ammunition and explosives. Toluene is obtained from oil and coal and is used in the manufacture of explosives.
In 2018, Evraz NTMK (Nizhny Tagil Iron and Steel Works) provided $1.4 million worth of steel to Uralvagonzavod, which makes tanks and other transport equipment such as freight cars. In 2016 and 2017, Evraz’s subsidiary also supplied $227,000 worth of vanadium slag to the plant. It is used for alloying steel and making weapons.
Evraz spokesman claims that the company does not supply the Russian army. “In Russia, Evraz supplies products only to infrastructure and construction projects intended for civilian use only,” he wrote.