German companies are involved in the restoration of Mariupol, at least two – Knauf and WKB Systems.
They supply construction materials for use in a coastal Ukrainian city that was destroyed and captured by Russian troops during a full-scale war. writes DW publication, based on investigative data from the Monitor television program of the German social-legal channel ARD, published on April 3.
The investigation notes that when searching for evidence of the participation of German firms in the restoration of Mariupol, journalists relied on data from the websites of construction companies, business documentation, photo and video materials.
Some construction sites in Mariupol use cement produced by Knauf. According to the TV channel, to this day Knauf has 4,000 employees in Russia and makes billions of dollars in turnover on the Russian market. When asked by the editors, the company indicated that they condemn Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine and comply with all sanctions EU in relation to the Russian Federation. Knauf products manufactured in Russia are intended “exclusively for the Russian market,” the press service added. However, no answers were received to the remaining ARD questions.
Roderich Kiesewetter, head of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, 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 obvious, since they actually supply cement to the occupied regions, including Mariupol.”
In photos and videos from Mariupol construction sites, ARD journalists also noticed concrete blocks in green packaging film, with the name of the German company WKB Systems from the Münsterland region in North Rhine-Westphalia. This company equips factories for the production of concrete blocks, and the main shareholder of the company is Russian entrepreneur Viktor Budarin. The investigation says:
“Customs data available to the Monitor show that WKB Systems GmbH has for a number of years supplied entire plants for the production of 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”.
It is also indicated that EU sanctions were not imposed against Budarin. WKB Systems did not respond to reporters' requests for comment.
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