A Finnish company has exported truck parts worth millions of euros to Russia, according to Yle's investigative programme MOT.
Lasse Lindqvist, the founder and chairman of the board of the Finnish company HD-Parts, said Finnish Customs has not only reviewed — but approved — every one of its shipments to Russia or obtained an export permit from the Foreign Ministry.
The Vantaa-based company denies breaking sanctions against Russia.
At the same time it has been prohibited since the beginning of last year to export trucks to Russia without a separate export permit.
Lindqvist told Yle that while he has the Customs' inspection reports proving HD-Parts' products have been granted an export licence, he does not want to show them for confidentiality reasons.
Finnish Customs refused to comment on this specific case, but confirmed that it conducts inspections when an export declaration indicates possibly sanctioned products.
Sami Rakshit, who heads Customs' Enforcement Department, told MOT that that the export of trucks and their spare parts to Russia is basically prohibited due to sanctions.
Lasse Lindqvist said at least three-quarters of HD-Parts' revenue comes from Russian exports. The company's turnover increased by over 50 percent last year to almost nine million euros.
MOT found that HD-Parts' shipments largely correspond to the EU's sanctioned product categories. Yle's investigative arm also asked Erlend Björdvedt, a Norwegian sanctions expert, to analyse HD-Parts' trade data. He found that HD-Parts appears to be one of the largest companies in the west supplying truck parts to Russia.
Lindqvist said HD-Parts has been supplying spare parts to the same partners in Russia for over 20 years.
"We have agreed not to politicise this war thing in any way," he said.
Kari Liuhto, a Turku professor specialised in the Russian economy, said the spare parts export could be likened to sending weapons to the front lines.
Trucks are vital for the Russian military, and the country is facing a critical shortage of spare parts.
It's impossible to know where the truck parts ultimately end up when they leave Vantaa.
MOT asked HD-Parts what it thought about its exports strengthening Russia's wartime economy.
"It's upsetting as hell, but less upsetting than firing the entire staff and closing down the business," said Markus Lindqvist, who sits on the board of the family-owned business.
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