The German company Robert Bosch GmbH has announced that it is curtailing its activities in Russia. The company took such a decision after Ukraine claimed that Russia had used Bosch parts in military equipment, Bloomberg has said.
The use of Bosch parts for "non-civilian" purposes contradicts its policy, the company said.
"Due to indications that Bosch products - contrary to local contractual agreements - may have been used for non-civilian purposes, we have stopped supplying truck components to Russia and Russian customers," Bosch said in a statement.
Bosch said it expects a complete stoppage of production at Russian plants, including a household goods plant in St. Petersburg.
According to Der Spiegel, Germany's Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection launched an investigation into Bosch because exports of dual-use goods to Russia were banned by the EU back in 2014 as part of sanctions for the occupation of Crimea.
The investigation began after Foreign Minister Dmitriy Kuleba said that parts made by Bosch were found in Russian military vehicles used by the army to invade Ukraine. According to the minister, Bosch "has been supplying components necessary for Russian military vehicles for many years.
In recent years, several cases have been filed in Germany in connection with the export of dual-use goods to Russia. To get around the ban and deceive German customs officials, the exporters indicated in supporting documents that the buyers were civilian firms. In particular, they referred to deliveries of special metal-working machines suitable for the production of missile equipment, Deutsche Welle wrote.