German Foreign Ministry warns Knauf and WBK Systems of inadmissibility of participation in reconstruction of Mariupol
The German Ministry of Economy called on the country's prosecutor's office and customs to check whether the German firms have violated sanctions
The German Foreign Ministry has warned German companies against participating in the reconstruction of Mariupol, which was destroyed by Russian troops and captured during Russia's war against Ukraine.
The construction work "only serves Russian propaganda," a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday, 5 April, Deutsche Welle reports.
"Any company involved in this should ask itself what service it is providing," the ministry added.
In addition, a representative of the German Ministry of Economy called on the country's prosecutor's office and customs to check whether German firms violated sanctions by supplying their products to the Ukrainian city that was occupied by Russian troops and declared Russian.
According to an investigation published by journalists of the Monitor programme of the German TV channel ARD on 4 April, at least two German companies – Knauf and WKB Systems – are supplying construction materials for use in Mariupol.
According to ARD, Knauf still has 4,000 employees in Russia and generates billions of dollars in turnover in the Russian market.
At the request of journalists, the company stated that it condemns Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and complies with 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 a long list of questions submitted by the company's editorial board, ARD points out.
In addition, ARD journalists spotted concrete blocks made by Germany's WKB Systems in photos and videos of construction sites in Mariupol. The company's main shareholder is Russian businessman Viktor Budarin. WKB Systems did not respond to journalists' requests for comment.
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