Deripaska's Irish plant supplies raw materials to the Russian defense industry
The Irish metallurgical plant Aughinish Alumina, owned by the Russian group Rusal, is part of a supply chain that ultimately supplies the Russian defense industry.
This is reported by The Guardian, citing leaked documents and public data.
According to the publication, after the start of the full-scale war, alumina exports from Ireland to Russia surged sharply: from $243 million in 2022 to $376 million in 2024.
Specifically, in 2024, nearly 500,000 tons of alumina worth approximately $200 million were delivered to Krasnoyarsk. These volumes account for roughly a quarter of aluminum production at the local plant.
According to documents, the resulting aluminum is sold through entities linked to Rusal and ultimately ends up at Russian defense enterprises that manufacture missiles, explosives, and bombers.
Among these customers is the Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk, which specializes in the production of missile casings and explosives.
Despite this, the shipments remain legal, as alumina is not subject to EU sanctions.
A stake in Rusal belongs to businessman Oleg Deripaska, who is subject to sanctions by the EU, the U.S., and the UK.
As a reminder, the ruble has plummeted to a six-month low.
Additionally, the Kremlin is seeking to protect critical infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks.
A Russian tanker giant has gone bankrupt due to sanctions.
