US Sanctions Poly Technologies for Enabling War in Ukraine
On June 12, 2024, the US sanctioned more than 300 individuals and entities for supporting Russia in both maintaining its ongoing war effort and circumventing existing sanctions — including Poly Technologies Inc., an entity C4ADS first identified in 2022 and again investigated last year.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — The US announced today that it has levied sanctions against Chinese trading company POLY TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED for their role in facilitating the trade of sensitive military technologies to sanctioned Russian defense companies. This trade, which has notably increased since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, contributes directly to Russia’s military capabilities during the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Our investigations and analysis have shown that these targeted entities are essential to Russia’s military efforts.
In our 2022 report, Trade Secrets, we identified 281 previously unreported shipments of sensitive goods from subsidiaries of China Poly Group Corporation, including Poly Technologies, to Russian defense organizations from 2014 to 2022. Poly Technologies is a subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation and was involved in these transactions.
One year later, our follow-up report, Open Secrets, highlighted an increase in the trade of sensitive defense technologies as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continued. Trade records indicate that Poly Technologies Inc has neither stopped nor decreased its trade in sensitive technologies with Russian state defense companies.
“We are pleased to see these steps taken by the US in implementing these sanctions,” said Allen Maggard, Russia Analyst at C4ADS. “Today’s measures build on previous sanctions packages aimed at holding foreign companies accountable for supplying the Russian defense industry with critical manufacturing technologies, including computerized machine tools and metal-cutting instruments.”
C4ADS has also investigated two Turkish entities that were also recently sanctioned by the US; MINYON KESICI TAKIMLAR MAKINE SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI, and SSGCTM CNC TAKIM TEZGAHLARI MAKINE SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI. Next week, these companies will be featured in a C4ADS report on Russian procurement of foreign-produced computer numerical controlled (CNC) machine tools.
These sanctions come at a time where global tensions are escalating, underscoring the need for stringent measures to curb aggressive actions and promote international stability.
C4ADS remains committed to leveraging publicly accessible information and technology to detect and dismantle illicit networks that destabilize communities and perpetuate conflicts.
