It is a French multinational little known to the general public and based in Bons-en-Chablais in Haute-Savoie, at the foot of the mountains. Founded in 1976, Nicomatic specializes in the manufacturing of electronic components.
Sold throughout the world, these are intended for household appliances, industry and aerospace but especially for the defense and armaments sector. The company employs nearly 1,000 people worldwide and achieves a turnover of around 100 million euros per year.
According to confidential information consulted by RTL, certain parts belonging to Nicomatic were found on Russian military equipment, deployed and destroyed in Ukraine. This is also the discovery made by the Yermak-McFaul group, made up of American and Ukrainian experts responsible for evaluating sanctions against Russia.
We analyzed nearly 3,000 components (…) and found connectors belonging to Nicomatic inside.
“We analyzed nearly 3,000 components found on Russian weapons, missiles, drones, armored vehicles, troop transports, tanks, helicopters. And we found connectors belonging to Nicomatic inside,” assures Olena Bilousova, one of the experts who worked on this subject, interviewed by RTL.
Thus, connectors belonging to the French company were notably discovered in the Korsar, an unmanned aircraft developed for the Russian army. It is used for reconnaissance and strike missions.
The connectors that equip the Korsar, an unmanned Russian drone, belong to the French company Nicomatic
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Multiplication of intermediaries to cover their tracks
According to the Yermak-McFaul group, the amount of exports to Russia of critical components manufactured by Nicomatic has doubled since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, from 2.2 to 4.8 million euros. Despite the sanctions, Nicomatic therefore continued to sell its products.
“This company does not trade directly with Russia but indirectly, that is to say that some of its subsidiaries and distributors do so, mainly in China and Hong Kong. They buy these products for then sell them in Russia,” adds researcher Olena Bilousova.
According to documents consulted by RTL, these components passed through the Chinese subsidiary of Nicomatic and at least 9 different intermediaries or distributors. Their names do not allow us to know the final recipient: Jiuyun Technology, Hytera Communications or Shenzhen Oneworld International.
Nicomatic does not trade directly with Russia but indirectly, i.e. some of its subsidiaries and distributors abroad do so.
Olena Bilousova, expert at the Yermak-McFaul group
Thus, thanks to this system, five companies based in Russia are suspected of having purchased equipment from Nicomatic, at least, until the end of 2023. Some are close to the defense sector or work directly with the Russian army. One of them, called IQ Components, supplies electronic components to several companies that work with Radar mms, the manufacturer of the Kalibr, one of the deadliest Russian missiles in Ukraine.
The multiplication of intermediaries is a classic circumvention strategy to avoid appearing as an official equipment supplier to the Russian army and to obtain French export authorizations more easily. In France, it is the interministerial commission (CIEEMG), under the authority of the Prime Minister, which grants export licenses.
Nicomatic defends itself
Contacted by RTL, Nicomatic management responded to these allegations. She claims she was aware of these issues since February 2022 and conducted an internal investigation. She also adds that she stopped all direct shipments to Russia and Belarus from the first days of the Russian invasion.
“I don’t think this is a lack of controls on our part but rather a lack of vigilance. We try to work with the end customer who will use our parts and not distributors who will buy parts and then resell them. C “It’s our responsibility to be sure that our components are used with the best intentions”, explains Olivier Nicollin on RTL.
I don’t think this is a lack of controls on our part but rather a lack of vigilance
Olivier Nicollin, CEO of Nicomatic
In France, violation or circumvention of these sanctions is punishable by at least 5 years of imprisonment and 75,000 euros in fines. But in reality, convictions are rare, if not non-existent.
Shipment of critical components to Russia continues
The investigation carried out by RTL also reveals that at least ten French companies which produce on national territory continue to sell critical components to Moscow despite the sanctions recently reinforced by the European Union.
Thus, in 2023, these companies would have exported nearly 66 million euros to Russia according to the Yermak-McFaul group of international experts. This amount even reaches almost 284 million euros if we also include foreign companies – mainly American – which produce in France for Russia.
According to the media Disclose, infrared sensors from Lynred, the world number 2 in thermal imaging, were found on Russian drones and planes on the front in Ukraine. Safran and Thales, two manufacturers of military equipment of which the French state is the main shareholder, also continued their partnership with the Russian army despite the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 according to a report from the Armaments Observatory, a independent center of expertise based in Lyon.
Their exports to Russia have certainly fallen drastically since the start of the war but they continued in 2023. Models of thermal cameras, radar systems, engine components equip Russian tanks or helicopters, without the you can always tell when they were made.
The problem of civil and military “dual use”
In these photos obtained by RTL, the “Sosna-U” thermal imaging sighting system manufactured by Thales is used in this T-T2B3M, a Russian combat tank which was destroyed in Ukraine.
Here, a small part manufactured by Thales for one of the engine systems of the KA-52 (Alligator), a Russian fighter plane. The date of manufacture of the latter is unknown, but the parts found are recent.
“These commercial exchanges between France and Russia often concern “dual-use” goods, both civil and military. But everyone knows that the satellite is the instrument for waging a war today to prepare for an invasion or identify armed groups When these companies say that they only work on civilian helicopters, we see that another range is similar but that it is reserved for the armed forces. their trade”, comments Tony Fortin, member of the Armaments Observatory.
These French materials are often for civil and military use. Companies are playing on this to continue doing business with Russia
Tony Fortin, researcher at the Armaments Observatory.
Last January, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba stated that 95% of critical foreign components found in Russian weapons destroyed in Ukraine come from private Western companies.
Today, NGOs are calling on the French government to better control the exports of these companies and preserve the lives of civilians bombarded daily by the Russian army in Ukraine.
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