A Polish state-owned company is being investigated for allegedly selling parts that were used to manufacture Iranian combat drones used by Russia to attack Ukraine and by Iran to attack Israel.
The scandal, involving parts manufacturer WSK Poznań, was first reported Thursday by private broadcaster Radio Zet.
Deputy Minister of State Assets Robert Kropiwnicki called the matter “extremely damaging” for Poland internationally. “It undermines our credibility. It’s scandalous that it has come to the point where on the one hand we are fighting to save Ukraine and on the other hand we were supplying parts to enemies.”
According to Radio Zet, Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) found that the Poznań-based company sold fuel pumps to Iranian motor manufacturer Motorsazan Company for use in tractors, but the parts ended up in Shahed 136 kamikaze drones. Iran has sold these drones to Russia for use in its war on Ukraine.
The same model of drone was reportedly used in Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel in April.
Minister of the Interior Tomasz Siemoniak called the case “absolutely outrageous.”
Shahed 136 kamikaze drones are used by the Russian army under the name Geran-2 and have been deployed to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses and hit infrastructure far from the front lines. They carry a warhead with an explosive charge of up to 20 kilograms and are powered by diesel engines.
The ABW discovered the case in July 2022 and launched an investigation. In February 2023, investigators from the National Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against the president of WSK Poznań, which is accused of selling the parts without authorization. This is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The investigation has been extended until Sept. 30.
WSK Poznań is owned by the Polish state’s Industrial Development Agency. According to a company statement, the National Prosecutor’s Office and the Internal Security Agency are “conducting an investigation into the export of parts manufactured by the company to Iran”.
“The company has introduced internal control procedures for potential customers … Each time each potential contractor is thoroughly checked, the purpose of the ordered goods and then the sanctions in force at a given time are analyzed.”
According to the statement, the company’s management is “making every effort to clarify the matter,” is fully open to cooperating with the authorities conducting the investigation and is taking the necessary actions to secure the company’s future.
Siemoniak said at a press conference on Thursday that the government is working to toughen up sanctions against Russia, saying they were previously “very loose.”
He added that authorities have “been carrying out intensive activities for several months to ensure that sanctions and embargoes are not circumvented.”
WSK Poznań did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reuters) REPORT: – A Polish state-owned engineering company said on Thursday it was being investigated over the export of its parts to Iran, after a report that its pumps were adapted and used in Iranian combat drones.
Private broadcaster Radio Zet reported, without naming its sources, that the company WSK Poznan had sold pumps to Iranian motor-maker Motorsazan Company for use in tractors, but the parts had ended up in drones that Iran sent on to Russia.
Iran has supplied thousands of Shahed-136 “kamikaze” drones to Russia during its invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022. They have been used to exhaust Ukrainian air defences and hit infrastructure far from the front lines.
WSK Poznan, which is owned by the Polish state’s Industrial Development Agency, said the National Prosecutor’s Office and the Internal Security Agency were “conducting an investigation into the export of parts manufactured by the company to Iran”.
It did not mention drones but it said in a statement that its pumps were not made to power aircraft due to their weight, and ran on diesel, not aviation fuel.
“The company has introduced internal control procedures for potential customers… Each time each potential contractor is thoroughly checked, the purpose of the ordered goods and then the sanctions in force at a given time are analysed,” it said.
“The current management board makes every effort to clarify the matter, declaring full openness to cooperation with the authorities conducting the proceedings and is taking the necessary actions to secure the future of the company,” it added.
The National Prosecutor’s Office said in an email that it was investigating whether WSK Poznan had exported dual-use products without the proper permits. It did not mention drones or Iran.
The office added that, as part of the ongoing investigation, the CEO of the company at the time had been charged with selling products of strategic importance without clearance and faced up to 10 years in prison.
Poland, a NATO member, has been one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters, both under the previous nationalist government and Donald Tusk’s current pro-European administration.
Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said during a press conference on Thursday that the government was working on implementing sanctions more thoroughly.
“The National Tax Administration, in cooperation with other services, has been carrying out intensive activities for several months to ensure that sanctions and embargoes are not circumvented,” he added.
Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) referred questions to the prosecutor’s office. The State Assets Ministry did not immediately reply to Reuters’ requests for comments.
Source » politico