Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan have become hubs for shipping high-quality welding and metal cutting machines to Russia

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Despite the Western sanctions imposed after Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, high-quality welding and thermal cutting equipment for metals continues to reach Russia from Europe via Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan — with the help of Lithuanian customs brokers, The Insider has discovered. The European Union banned the export of these technologies to Russia back in February 2023. Welding is a crucial method in industrial metal processing, and while China provides Russia with equipment for general use, Moscow’s military industry demands higher-quality machinery.

In the first half of 2024, Russia imported approximately $4 million worth of welding machines, gas and arc welding equipment, accessories, and metal cutting machines from countries outside of the Eurasian Economic Union. Despite sanctions, Western equipment has continued to flow into Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion, primarily via Kazakhstan, with additional shipments routed through Turkey and Uzbekistan — and sometimes involving Lithuanian customs brokers.

Messer Cutting (Germany)

In 2023, Kazakhstan-based Design Bureau “Step” LLP (ТОО «Конструкторское Бюро “Step”»; led by Aibek Karibekovich Sherov) supplied Russia with a MULTITHERM 3600 plasma cutting machine manufactured by Messer Cutting. According to Kazakh customs records, the firm has direct dealings with Messer Cutting Systems, which is based in the southwestern German city of Groß-Umstadt.

The machine supports laser, plasma, and oxy-fuel cutting and features computer controls that enable positioning accuracy of under 1 mm and automatic cutter movement at speeds of up to 40 meters per minute.

Also in 2023, Kazakh company Toolsmart LLP (headed by Aida Rashidovna Naryshkina) exported Thermacut A-1447 nozzles from the Czech Republic to Russia. These components are designed for use in Messer Cutting systems.

Meanwhile, Uzbek firm Leman Osiyo Trade LLC, working with Lithuanian broker UAB MTL GROUP, facilitated the transfer of an OMNIMAT L 4500 thermal cutting machine from Messer Cutting Systems in Germany to Russia via Vilnius in November 2023. The machine, capable of gas-oxygen and plasma cutting, is designed for processing large metal components with computer-controlled torch movement, ensuring high precision.

UAB MTL GROUP did not respond to a written inquiry from The Insider. In December, a company employee, who did not speak Lithuanian, answered a reporter’s call and suggested reaching out after the holidays. The Insider repeated the request in January but received no response.

Zinser (Germany)

Electric cutting machines for RSV-4 pipes from the German firm Zinser first arrived in Kazakhstan and were then sent to Russia by Stroy Integral LLP (ТОО «Строй Интеграл», headed by Tatyana Sergeyevna Kasymova), where they were received by Volzhskaya Industrial Group LLC (ООО «Волжская промышленная группа»).

Kemppi (Finland)

In October 2023, TX 225 G 4M gas welding torches from Finland’s Kemppi Welding Technology were delivered to Russia through Kazakhstan’s ALBERO BELLO LLP (led by Sergey Olegovich Shvayun), and were also delivered to Volzhskaya Industrial Group.

Another firm, Welding Solutions (headed by Oksana Alexandrovna Kozmina), based in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, supplied Russia with the X5 Wire Feeder 300 APC, an automatic wire feeder for welding electrodes, also manufactured by Kemppi.

Kemppi, founded in 1949, is based in the city of Lahti, around 60 miles northeast of the country’s capital Helsinki.

Alpine Metal Tech (Germany)

Some specialized alloys cannot be cut with conventional oxy-fuel torches. German company Alpine Metal Tech solves this issue with cutting machines that use SDS FP category specialized nozzles. These nozzles were imported into Russia by Turkish company Mmk Metalurji Sanayi Ticaret Ve Liman Isletmeciligi — which is fully owned by the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK), a major metals manufacturer based in Russia’s Chelyabinsk Region.

According to the Turkish business registry, the company is linked to Boris Dubrovsky, Denis Kvasov, Yuri Bodiaev, and Viktor Rashnikov. The nozzles were intended for use at MMK.

Alpine Metal Tech’s thermal cutting equipment also passed through Lithuania. Uzbek company EQUIP IMPEX (headed by Rushana Ismedullaeva) imported welding and gas-cutting equipment parts from Alpine Metal Tech via Lithuanian customs broker UAB Alimelija.

A representative at one of Alimelija's listed phone numbers told The Insider that the company had rented office space there a decade ago but is no longer located at that address. Alimelija did not respond to inquiries, and attempts to reach the company through other phone numbers were unsuccessful.

From Italy — via Turkey

Turkish intermediary HTS Poer Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi imported arc welding units valued at €2 million from Italy’s NUOVA C.M.M SRL into Russia. The buyer was S.T. Technology LLC, which, according to past data, is a regular supplier for several Russian shipbuilding plants that fall under U.S. or EU sanctions (including Vympel, Zvezda, and Admiralty Shipyards).

NUOVA C.M.M still operates a website with a Russian-language interface, offering a range of high-performance welding automation solutions for industrial use. The company is family-owned by Paolo, Andrea, Fabio, and Giuseppe Tessarolo.

A gas-shielded automatic vertical surfacing welding machine produced by the Italian firm Steel Mec Sald S.R.L. was imported into Russia by Turkish company Greenhouse Orman Ürünleri̇ İthalat İhracat Ti̇caret. The Italian company’s owners are Franco and Adriano Tomaselli and Laura Maria Rosa Sala. The company specializes in automated welding systems and continues to advertise its products for export to Russia.