Russian nuclear arms manufacturers receive equipment from South Korean firm - media
That’s according to an investigation by The Insider, Ukrinform reports citing Guildhall.
According to the reporting by the company’s Russian subsidiary and government procurement data, one of the clients was Elektrokhimpribor, which has been producing the uranium-235 isotope since 1947, and atomic bombs – since 1951. In 2022 and 2023, the plant purchased from YG-1 15 types of drills and seven types of taps.
Another buyer was Mayak, based in Chelyabinsk region, which was the first facility of the Russian nuclear industry. In 2022-2023, Mayak purchased from YG-1 three types of taps and one type of milling cutter.
In February 2023, Centrotech LLC, part of Rosatom, announced price monitoring for YG-1 tools, including inserts, milling cutters, and drills. YG-1 tools were also purchased by other Russian defense enterprises, such as Production Association Oktyabr, JSC Concern Marine Underwater Weapons - Gidropribor, and JSC N.A. Pilyugin Scientific and Production Center for Automatics and Instrument Making.
YG-1 is one of the world's largest manufacturers of metal-cutting equipment, founded in 1981. The firm is among the top 5 companies in its industry, running 18 own factories and selling products in 75 countries. YG-1 tools are critical for the aviation and missile industries.
The equipment is supplied to Russia through a subsidiary, YG One Rus LLC. According to ImportGenius, in 2022–2023, the Russian subsidiary of YG-1 received 93.7 tons of equipment worth $68.99 million from branches in Italy, India, and Türkiye.
Recall that the South Korean Ministry of Industry added 243 items to the list of goods banned for export to Russia and Belarus. This decision was made due to the possible use of these goods for military purposes.
