"Krone" uncovers

“Made in Austria” for Putin: Crime story about customs lists

Russian war equipment causes great destruction in Ukraine. Domestic equipment is also said to be (unknowingly) powering Putin's war engine.(Bild: REUTERS)

Explosive export business in Austria: according to Russian contracts, engines and even entire aircraft from domestic manufacturers could end up in Moscow via China. Plastic parts for drones and other weapons systems are also said to be "unknowingly" going to Putin via Beijing, the Arab Emirates and other countries.

The company Diamond Aircraft from Wiener Neustadt in Lower Austria does good business with its private aircraft all over the world. Among other things, the lead company and its subsidiary Austro Engines are said to maintain close business relationships with Chinese companies - after all, they are now part of the Chinese Wanfeng Auto Holding Group.

But this is apparently where the problem begins: deliveries would not end up in China, but in Russia. At least one of the end users, Ural Works of Civil Aviation (UZGA), is involved in the production of lethal drones used by the Russian army in the war against Ukraine. For example, UZGA supplies the Russian Ulyanovsk Institute of Civil Aviation with red-white-red spare parts for engines for the Diamond DA40NG aircraft and an E4-A engine from "Austro Engine". The total amount of the new contract is approximately 52 million roubles (around 510,000 euros).

Diamond Aircraft has been under observation by the Ukrainians for some time. According to contracts from Russia, deliveries will continue.(Bild: zVg)

Ukrainians have been watching Diamond Aircraft for some time
According to Ukrainian sources, domestic aircraft are also used to train fighter pilots. All of this is happening despite the threat of sanctions and the EU's ban on circumvention. Ukrainian authorities are protesting vehemently, and the State Security and Intelligence Directorate has opened a preliminary investigation.

The Austrian company in question claims to have "clearly refuted any indications". The company emphasizes: "Aircraft are not subject to export restrictions. Nevertheless, as a result of careful checks, we sometimes refrain from potential transactions. Concrete suspicions of unauthorized deliveries are investigated. There were also indications in the case of Russia, but these were clearly refuted."

The presumption of innocence applies!

Ongoing investigations are not commented on by the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence.

Österreichisches Innenministerium

Plastic parts for the whole world - and for Russia too?
Plastic is far more complex than you might think - easy to mold, hard to find or trace and quick to export," Ukrainian sources explain when providing information about alleged FACC business. Like Diamond Aircraft, the Upper Austrian aircraft supplier is largely owned by the Chinese state. The corresponding defense contractor, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), supplied Russia with spare parts during the Ukraine invasion. However, new trade data now casts a gloomy light on the domestic stock exchange company.

According to information from Ukrainian sources, FACC parts are ending up in Russia.(Bild: zVg)

Documents leaked to the "Krone" are said to show that Russian companies imported products worth 230,000 US dollars in 2023. Although the focus is "only" on Aeroflot - the largest Russian airline - no details are known about the end customers.

FACC builds so-called structural elements such as wings or engine parts.(Bild: FACC)

FACC rejects accusations "in the strongest terms"
What is certain is that the DSN is also investigating here - as high-ranking officials explain. The FACC company spokesperson rejects the accusations in the strongest possible terms: "The list you provided does not include customers, suppliers or other business partners of FACC AG or any of our subsidiaries. We have introduced precise processes to prevent any unauthorized forwarding of our products. Only a few months ago, even a delivery request from the EU was rejected by us. We are not aware of any material from our company being sent to Russia and we doubt that the list is correct."

But do we know what the Chinese owners are doing with the delivered material? Many things are likely to be difficult to prove, such as the plastic parts discovered after the detonation of a Russian drone.

The presumption of innocence applies here too!