Key facts
- Over 50 Russian defense companies use Western-made high-precision machinery for weapons production.
- Galika-Service, linked to Swiss firm Galika AG and its leader Lino Derungs, allegedly supplies spare parts for this machinery.
- Kalashnikov Concern, a major Russian arms manufacturer, was Galika-Service's largest client.
- Machinery used by Russian arms factories is primarily from Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden.
- Hexagon AB confirmed no sales or service to Russia since 2022 for its machines, sold between 2004-2012.
An investigation by the Kyiv Independent has revealed that a Swiss-linked company, Galika AG, and its Russian subsidiary, Galika-Service, have allegedly been instrumental in supplying Western-made spare parts to Russian arms factories. These parts are crucial for maintaining the high-precision machinery used to produce weapons deployed against Ukraine.
Leaked internal documents indicate that over 50 Russian defense companies are operating Western industrial machinery, primarily sourced from Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden. Galika-Service has reportedly been providing maintenance and replacement parts for this equipment throughout Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Galika-Service's largest client identified in the documents is the Kalashnikov Concern, a prominent manufacturer of firearms, drones, and missiles, with contracts valued at nearly $800,000. The Imperial Tula Arms Factory, another significant Russian defense producer, was the second-largest client, with orders totaling $500,000.
These Western machine tools, including AgieCharmilles CNC machines and Walter Helicheck Basic measuring machines, are essential for producing advanced weaponry. Russia relies on these imported machines due to its own limitations in producing high-quality, advanced machine tools.
Hexagon AB, a Swedish manufacturer whose machines were listed, stated that it has not sold, exported, or facilitated the sale of hardware or software to Russia since 2022 and has not provided any service or maintenance for its machines there. The company noted that the machines in question were sold between 2004 and 2012.