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More than half of the chromium imported by Russia, which is critical for the production of artillery and ammunition, was supplied by a company from Bavaria. This was reported by the influential German business publication Handelsblatt, citing official export data.
According to the investigation, the German company EKC.AG, based in Franconia, exported chrome to Russia in the amount of EUR 24.2 million from January 2023 to April 2024, which is approximately 50% of Russia’s total imports of this strategic metal.
Why it matters
Chromium is a key component of the Russian military industry:
– It is used to cover gun barrels to reduce wear and tear,
– treat the shells to prevent corrosion.
Experts note that chromium increases the life of artillery systems threefold, which means that its supply directly affects the effectiveness of the Russian army in the war against Ukraine.
Who is behind the company
EKC.AG was founded in 2006 by Vladimir Platunov, who is currently its CEO. The company ‘s CFO is Evgeny Porokhnya and sales manager is Oleg Krylov. The company employs 21 people, most of whom are Russian-speaking.
According to Handelsblatt, Platunov and Porokhnya have Russian citizenship and tax numbers, although they have lived in Germany for more than 25 years. The company bills itself as a “global commodities trader” and has offices in China, Turkey, the US and Slovenia.
In 2017, EKC’s clients in Russia included Uralvagonzavod, a manufacturer of armoured vehicles for the Russian Ministry of Defence. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the company has denied any ties to defence companies.
“Russia has its own chromium reserves and does not need to import ore,” Porokhnya said. However, according to documents, exports of finished chrome from Germany to Russia continued at least until April 2024.
Sanctions and reactions
After the exposure, EKC was sanctioned. On 24 February 2025, the UK added the company to its sanctions list, accusing it of aiding the Kremlin’s military machine.
In response, Gunpowder’s CFO said that the sanctions were “unjustified” and that the company “complied with all international restrictions”. EKC has already announced a lawsuit against the UK government.
