A British firm appears to have arranged the sale of about $1.2 billion worth of electronic goods into Russia since the launch of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Financial Times reported Friday.
Russian records list the company, Mykines Corporation LLP, as having sent technical equipment including servers, laptops and computer parts produced by brands including Huawei, Intel, Apple and Samsung, FT reported.
The shipped goods also included high-end microchips, telecom equipment and servers which could be used for infrastructure.
According to the customs filings viewed by FT, at least $982 million of the goods listed as sent by the company are subject to British export restrictions on Russia.
"Mykines had been active in Russia prior to the invasion, but the records imply its business with the country suddenly took off after the onset of the war," FT said.
Shipment of these goods to Moscow without London’s permission may constitute a breach of sanctions even though they entered Russia from third countries, FT said.
Western countries including Britain imposed wide-reaching sanctions including technology export controls on Russia following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Mykines' listed owner, Vitalii Poliakov, 53, is described as a resident of Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian open-source intelligence group Molfar, only one person fits the given description of Poliakov: a road worker employed by a Ukrainian state mining company.
The man did not respond to FT’s requests for comment.
Until August 2022, the controlling owner of Mykines was listed as a 34-year-old Ukrainian woman born in the same town as Poliakov.
She also did not respond to FT's requests for comment.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
