A German-made shell production machine is currently en route from Türkiye to Russia and will reportedly be used at the Serov Mechanical Plant to manufacture shells for Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Ukrainian Trap Aggressor project of the StateWatch analytical center reported.
“The enemy attacks Ukrainian cities and villages with missiles, drones, and shells daily. And it is these shells that the German company Spinner is still helping Russia to produce,” the report said.
The Serov Mechanical Plant, sanctioned since March 2023, ordered the high-precision CNC lathe from Spinner Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik GmbH to produce shell casings. StateWatch’s Trap Aggressor project says the machine left Türkiye on 30 August bound for a ferry to Russia, where it is expected by the end of September. The Russian YUMAK company imported the machine, Trap Aggressor stated.
The National Corruption Prevention Agency of Ukraine (NACP) has notified Spinner that the lathe will effectively be sold to the Russian military for munitions production. “We have no doubt this device is critical for Russian aggression in Ukraine,” said NACP’s Agiia Zahrebelska, calling on Germany and Türkiye to stop the delivery.
Spinner has an office in Moscow and allegedly continues business with Russian defense companies under sanctions. In 2021, it supplied equipment to Russian state defense conglomerate Rostec’s quality control arm RT-Techpriemka, under Ukraine sanctions.
In July and August 2022, Spinner exported machines to Russian aviation parts maker OKB Kristall, sanctioned by Ukraine. Spinner shifted to using intermediaries in 2023, but this year’s exports to Russia total $10.5 million, six times more than in 2021, Trap Aggressor claims.
Zahrebelska said NACP hopes the delivery will be stopped and is working to end arms production on G7 country equipment.
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