A family-owned aluminium stud company driving the growth is connected to Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz.
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Aluminium studs are not included on the list of sanctions against Russia. File photo of a Russian highway. Image: Kerstin Kronvall/Yle
Aluminium exports from Finland to Russia have doubled in a short time, according to figures from Finnish Customs.
By the end of September, exports valued 22.3 million euros, up from 11.3 million euros between January and September last year.
This increase is primarily due to the export of aluminium studs, which are not sanctioned.
“Aluminium is exported from Finland to Russia either by ship or via the Baltics,” explained Olli-Pekka Penttilä of Finnish Customs.
The surge in exports is largely attributed to Turvanasta, a family-owned company from Turku, which produces these studs.
One of Turvanasta’s co-owners is Ia Adlercreutz, wife of Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz, who also chairs the Swedish People’s Party (SPP).
Information obtained by Yle suggests that the substantial growth in aluminium exports is either entirely or largely driven by the increased export of products from Turvanasta.
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Turvanasta’s headquarters in Turku’s Kärsämäki district. Image: Yrjö Hjelt / Yle
The CEO of Turvanasta, Mikko Salakari, said the company cannot impact where customers ultimately deliver their orders.
“If we wanted to prevent our products from ending up in Russia, we wouldn’t be able to take any orders from our customers,” Salakari said.
Despite the company’s leadership arguing that they cannot control where their products end up, Turvanasta has previously committed to halting exports to Russia once existing contracts expire.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs meanwhile said it does not intervene in Russian exports unless goods are on the EU sanctions list, leaving companies to make their own ethical decisions.
The export of aluminium studs, however, raises concerns about the products being used in Russia’s war efforts.
“Winter tyres are used in various vehicles needed on the front lines for different transportation purposes in military operations. There is a risk that the products could end up being used for military purposes,” said Pia Sarivaara, who deals with sanctions at the ministry.
Overall, Finnish businesses have drastically reduced trade with Russia since it invaded Ukraine, with only 45 companies still exporting to Russia this year, compared to 925 in 2021.
Salakari of Turvanasta argued that ending production would also be morally questionable due to the economic impact of such a move.
“Russians would have studded tyres even if all stud production in Europe were to stop, but is it sensible to hand over the entire global market to the Chinese on a silver platter?” he asked.
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Publish date : 2024-11-24 03:21:00
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