Investigation: German companies Knauf and WKB Systems involved in construction by Russians in Mariupol

Companies from Germany are involved in the reconstruction of Mariupol, which was destroyed by Russian troops and captured during Russia's war against Ukraine. These are the conclusions of journalists from the Monitor programme of the German public broadcaster ARD, Deutsche Welle reports.

The publication reports that in searching for evidence of German companies' participation in the restoration of the Ukrainian city destroyed during the war, which was occupied by the Russian Armed Forces and declared Russian, journalists relied on the data from the websites of construction companies, business documentation, photos and videos.

In particular, many construction sites in Mariupol use cement made by Knauf, they noted. According to ARD, Knauf currently employs 4,000 people in Russia and generates billions of dollars in turnover in the Russian market.

At the request of the editorial office, the company said that it condemns Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and adheres to all EU sanctions against Russia.

Knauf products manufactured in Russia are intended exclusively for the Russian market, the press service added. No answers were received to the extensive list of questions submitted by the company's editorial board, ARD reports.

Foreign policy expert of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Roderich Kiesewetter condemned the participation of German companies in construction work in the captured city, believing that their services benefit the war, which violates international law:

"In the case of Knauf, this is very clear, as they are really cementing the Russian authorities in the occupied regions, particularly in Mariupol."

In addition, in photos and videos from construction sites in Mariupol, ARD journalists noticed concrete blocks in green packaging film bearing the name of the German company WKB Systems from the Munsterland region of North Rhine-Westphalia. Among other things, this company equips concrete block production plants.

The company's main shareholder is Russian businessman Viktor Budarin.

"Customs data available to the Monitor show that WKB Systems GmbH has for many years supplied complete plants for factories producing such aerated concrete blocks to one of Budarin's Russian companies – apparently the same company whose products Russia is using to strengthen its power in Mariupol," the investigation says.

It notes that no EU sanctions have been imposed on Budarin. WKB Systems did not respond to journalists' requests for comment.

Background. As a reminder, Russians continue to build a railway in the occupied territories of Ukraine, with the first branch to Berdiansk already completed. It is accessible for precision strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the British Ministry of Defence said.