Sniper ammunition from the Swiss P Defense company reportedly arrived in Ukraine in July 2023 via a Polish company. This was reported by “SRF Investigativ” on Thursday, based on information from Seco.
According to German-speaking television and radio SRF and the control report from the State Secretariat for the Economy (Seco), which the Keystone-ATS agency obtained, the delivery from the Thun company Swiss P Defense (formerly Ruag Ammotec) concerned 645,000 sniper ammunition of two different calibers. The munitions were reportedly sent to the Polish company UMO SP, which then passed them on to Ukraine four days later.
This re-export contravenes the embargo on military equipment and Switzerland’s principle of not delivering weapons to states at war. “We can confirm that exports to the Polish company concerned will no longer be permitted until further notice,” Seco told SRF. It is unclear whether the munitions were used in Ukraine.
A delivery without the knowledge of the Swiss company
As the Seco report further clarifies, Swiss P Defense was not aware of the transmission before delivery. So the company exported the ammunition thinking that it would stay in Poland. Seco had authorized the export in two deliveries upon presentation of an import authorization from Poland, in accordance with the War Materials Ordinance, in November 2022 and May 2023.
Swiss P Defense had also taken measures to minimize such risks. It would have agreed with the Polish company, in a framework contract, that the resale of ammunition could only take place on Polish territory, to public authorities, private security companies, arms manufacturers or sports organizations. .
According to the Seco control report, Poland ultimately delivered to Ukraine, on July 14, 2023, 145,000 0.338 caliber sniper ammunition and 500,000 0.308 caliber ammunition.
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