Cooperates with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and supports the occupying forces: the NACP included the Italian company Buzzi Unicem in the list of international sponsors of the war

The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) included the Italian company Buzzi Unicem in the list of international sponsors of the war. The rationale was that, despite its statement of renunciation of any operational involvement in Russian business, Buzzi Russia continued to expand following the annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea and the launch of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.

Buzzi Unicem is a global cement producer with leading positions in Italy, Germany and the USA. The company operates in Russia through LLC “SLK Cement” or “Buzzi Russia”, which includes two cement plants “Sukholozhskcement” and “Korkino”, a terminal in Omsk and the transport company “Tsemtrans”. The company is now among the five leaders of the cement industry in Russia, having the largest average capacity of a cement plant in the group. The company is also represented in Ukraine by two cement plants “Volyn-Cement” and “Yugcement”, as well as terminals in Kyiv and Odesa.

In general, for the period from 2016 to 2021, the Russian division of Buzzi Unicem paid taxes and other mandatory payments to the budget of the Russian Federation for 62 million euros.

For comparison, 62 million euros is the cost of 206 Tochka-U missiles – tactical ballistic missiles that the Russian Federation uses against the civilians of Ukraine. So, on April 8, 2022, Russia struck the railway station in Kramatorsk with Tochka-U missiles. At least 50 people died and about 100 were injured.

In particular, Buzzi Russia cooperates with the Ministry of Defense of Russia and supplies its products to the largest state-controlled enterprises, such as “Rosneft”, whose management is under sanctions and has close ties to the President of the Russian Federation and “Rosatom”, which has been involved in threats to the whole world a possible nuclear tragedy at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

Also, according to available information, the company expresses great gratitude to its mobilized employees in Russian social media. SLK Cement’s subsidiary was sending supplies to the Russian artillery unit, which includes Buzzi employees.

No shareholder has so publicly condemned Buzzi Russia’s involvement in the Russian war and called on the company to abandon Russian business.

Thus, the continuation of Buzzi Unicem’s operations in Russia means supporting and sponsoring Russian terrorism.

To the list of international sponsors of the war, the NACP has already included the companies Procter&Gamble, OpenWay Group, Danieli, TMS Tankers Ltd., Minerva Marine Inc., Thenamaris Ships Management, Delta Tankers Ltd., Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd., Leroy Merlin, ComNav Technology, Mondi Group/ Mondi PLC, eKassir, Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry and Bonduelle. Also, the French corporation Auchan Holding and the German Metro Cash & Carry were added to the list.

The role of the NACP in sanctions policy is defined in the Individual Sanctions Roadmap developed by the Stanford International Working Group on Russian Sanctions.