How Russia manages to evade US sanctions for Nord Stream 2

March 27 2021 8

To complete the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, advanced European Technology... How Russia manages to evade US sanctions, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reports, citing its own investigation.

Until recently, the Akademik Chersky, which had been transferred from the Far East to the Baltic, did not have the necessary equipment. But at the end of March 2021, the pipelayer started laying pipes near the island of Rügen (Germany).

Each piece of piping equipment has its own story.

- indicated on the website of Nuova Patavium (Italy), which recently supplied equipment to the pipe-laying vessel "Akademik Chersky".

The Italians have equipped the ship with the latest precision tube processing system. These data are of interest in light of the US sanctions that threaten anyone who is somehow involved in the completion of Nord Stream 2. The Russians managed to bypass the US restrictions and re-equip the ship, despite the fact that if the contract is worth more than $ 1 million (850 thousand euros), fines are provided.

In the period August-September 2020, various pipe-laying equipment worth about 10 million euros was delivered to the German port of Mukran for the subsidiary of the Russian Gazprom (STIF). The equipment manufacturers are companies from the Netherlands and Italy.

For example, on September 12, processing systems with hydraulic drives from Nuova Patavium in the amount of $ 1,1 million were sent from Russia to Germany. It turned out that the specified equipment came to Russia from Italy in two batches with an interval of several months. Moreover, each batch was estimated at less than $ 200 thousand.

Nuova Patavium still hasn't responded to DW's request for a price difference. At the same time, the more American restrictions are tightened, the more confusing the supply chain becomes.

The buyer of the equipment is Sistema SPB (St. Petersburg), which has only a few employees. In addition to Nuova Patavium, the aforementioned Russian company also purchased equipment for the pipelayer from Opus SRL (Italy). A similar story happened with Opus SRL equipment. It came to Germany at a price of $ 1,2 million, and from Italy it was exported at a price 10 times less. Opus SRL did not respond to DW's request either.

The focus was also on Vermaat Technics BV (the Netherlands), whose ultra-modern stand-alone non-turn welding machine Veraweld Torch System D was delivered to the port of Mukran by STIF for the Akademik Chersky ship.

We do not know what is happening on board the Akademik Chersky. We did not supply any equipment to complete the laying of Nord Stream 2

- the Dutch company claims, convincing that after July 2020 (toughening of US sanctions) it stopped cooperation with Russia.

Indeed, on paper, Vermaat Technics BV had no dealings with STIF. The equipment was delivered not to the subsidiary of the Russian Gazprom, but to Vermaat Service, which, as the Dutch firm insists, has nothing to do with it and is a company from Russia.

DW was able to establish that now another Dutch company, BHS International BV, is supplying Vermaat Technics BV equipment. They only managed to find the mailbox of this company, located somewhere in the countryside in the southeast of the country, as well as an inactive website. The Internet domain is registered to a Russian company and BHS International has a common partner with Vermaat Service. In general, Akademik Chersky received equipment from the Netherlands for almost $ 5 million.

Roundabout supply, shell companies, and price manipulation raise the question - are Americans so easy to fool? At the same time, a former employee of the US State Department, Daniel Fried, doubts that European companies will be punished. The United States fears counter-sanctions from the EU countries. Nick Tsafos of the Washington Center for Strategic and International Studies agrees with him. He believes that the Joe Biden administration will turn a blind eye to these "pranks".

Akademik Chersky is due to finish laying pipes in September 2021. After the re-equipment, this vessel can work twice as fast as TUB "Fortuna", which is now laying pipes near the island of Bornholm (Denmark).

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Alsur

+4

27 March 2021 13: 33

DW's position, which reveals the schemes of European companies that would come under US sanctions, does not seem logical. But if you look at it, then the funding of this newspaper, like journalists, can be funded by grants from the United States, then everything becomes logical. Only whether such a media has the right to be called German, I think not. This publication must be awarded the title of foreign agent or lobbyist for the interests of the United States, they must pay taxes to the German treasury, and readers must know about their status. In my opinion this is true.
trampoline instructor

0

27 March 2021 13: 42

The sanctions are very weak, so they can't do much damage.
To the question in the headline "How does Russia manage to evade sanctions ...?" the answer is given only on the example of "Nord Stream".
If there is a ban on the purchase of Russian OFZs, the consequences for Russia will be very serious. The likelihood of this is small, since the "sharks of imperialism" have a good profit from them and will not beat themselves to their pocket.
In my opinion, only here so much attention is paid to the Nord Stream with its problems. If you read only "The Reporter", then the reader may have an analogy of this Stream with the Road of life from surrounded Leningrad during the war years.
1. 123
  
  +1
  
  27 March 2021 14: 02
  
  If there is a ban on the purchase of Russian OFZs, the consequences for Russia will be very serious. The likelihood of this is small, since the "sharks of imperialism" have a good profit from them and will not beat themselves to their pocket.
  
  Then there will be other buyers for them. And the Europeans will have the opportunity to purchase something less useful, for example, American securities this is why the probability is low.
  
  If you read only "The Reporter", then the reader may have an analogy of this Stream with the Road of life from surrounded Leningrad during the war years.
  
  Exaggeration, of course, but some analogies are visible. If this road is blocked, it will be interesting to observe winter Europe.
  1. Petr Vladimirovich
    
    +1
    
    27 March 2021 16: 47
    
    All proletarian greetings, as well as salam, shalom, etc.
    The reporter is a normal site (Ruslan Respect), people are resting, enjoying themselves, everyone is happy, a small penny is dripping, everything is in the house ...
    The topics are very different, people share what they know and their opinions, a kind of intimate spiritual club ...
    Krgs guys! P.V.
  2. trampoline instructor
    
    -6
    
    27 March 2021 16: 47
    
    And the Europeans will have the opportunity ... it will be interesting to watch winter Europe
    
    You (the propagandist propagandists of the Soviet leaven) have gotten into the habit of sympathizing with the children of Germany (Africa) and savoring "what about the Ukrainians" while drooling.
    By the way, Ukrainians have been "freezing" for the seventh winter, they will not freeze in any way. It will be the same with "winter Europe". You don't have to worry about this: Russia is not the only country that produces and sells gas and oil.
    Look better in your own country. Resetting OFZs by foreigners will lead to a sharp fall in the ruble, $$$ will lightly break through the "sotochku" (I am not talking about the euro), ruble prices for everything will briskly rush up, 20 million poor Russians will turn into at least 50 million, and banks and exchangers will have to install scoreboards with three-digit in numbers.
    That's when you play as much as you can on an empty stomach :).
    1. 123
      
      +3
      
      27 March 2021 17: 33
      
      You (the propagandist propagandists of the Soviet leaven) have gotten into the habit of sympathizing with the children of Germany (Africa) and savoring "what about the Ukrainians" while drooling.
      By the way, Ukrainians have been "freezing" for the seventh winter, they will not freeze in any way.
      
      Today I am an agitator-propagandist of the Soviet leaven? We need to write it down somewhere. So many labels have been pasted, I can't remember everything
      As for trousers, it sounds like a song, I get rid of everything that has grown over the winter with some difficulty.
      Tell us how Ukraine for the seventh year is blooming more and more beautifully
      
      It will be the same with "winter Europe". You don't have to worry about this: Russia is not the only country that produces and sells gas and oil.
      
      Am I worried about them? Of course, Russia is not the only country producing gas, but the others are a little farther and they are slightly more expensive. I doubt that they will be able to immediately replace almost 45% of European needs. And how they are going to fill the gas pipelines from our side or do without them is curious to see.
      
      Look better in your own country.
      
      Don't mind You can see yours too.
      
      Resetting OFZs by foreigners will lead to a sharp fall in the ruble, $$$ will lightly break through the "hundred" (I am not talking about the euro), ruble prices for everything will briskly rush up, 20 million poor Russians will turn into at least 50 million, and banks and exchangers will have to install a scoreboard with three-digit in numbers.
      
      Firstly, Europe is not all foreigners. Let them drop A yield in the region of 6-7% is not the worst option in our times. attachments. You can't get it in Europe, in other places you will have to pay extra yourself. You can buy yourself a little.
      https://www.banki.ru/investment/bonds/issuer-MFRU/
      
      Will the dollar break through the "hundredth"? The government will drink champagne for a week.
      And why should ruble prices briskly soar up just after sotochka? Is that how it is written in your training manual? About the new millions of poor Russians too? What scoreboards in exchangers are you talking about? If desired, account management can be carried out online from a smartphone.
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    3. Cherry
      
      -1
      
      27 March 2021 18: 07
      
      $$$ will lightly break the "sotochku"
      
      This is the same as the "Ukrainians" are freezing "for the seventh winter already." :-D
Cherry

-1

27 March 2021 18: 01

And what is Deutsche Welle digging under Gazprom? Also received a grant from the United States?