Stuttgart The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba made serious allegations against Bosch in the ARD program “Anne Will” on German television on Sunday evening. There had been large-scale defense cooperation between German industry and Russia for years.
He cited the world’s largest automotive supplier as an example. “For years, Bosch has provided the necessary components for the Russian military machine to enable these vehicles to invade Ukraine, shoot civilians and destroy our cities,” Kuleba said.
He bases his accusation on the fact that the Ukrainian army discovered Russian infantry vehicles a few days ago. According to Kuleba, parts of the main components that drive these vehicles came from Bosch.
The minister wanted to use the example to show that German business was involved in Russia’s rearmament and, conversely, should now do more for Ukraine. “Perhaps now is the time that we get everything we need to defend ourselves,” said the politician, who was broadcast live.
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“We take the allegations by the Ukrainian foreign minister very seriously and immediately initiated an intensive investigation,” Bosch said on Monday. “The Ukrainian ministry contacted us directly about this, and we were able to verify that the component mentioned was not delivered to the vehicle manufacturer by Bosch – even though it is a part from our production.”
“For years, Bosch has supplied the components necessary for the Russian military machine.”
(Photo: dpa)
For the supply of Russian automotive customers, the contracts stipulate that Bosch products may only be used for civilian applications. The current case shows that these embargo clauses are only partially effective in times of war.
Kuleba’s statements therefore hit Bosch in a sensitive area. The foundation company has “Technology for life” as its mission statement. So it doesn’t fit into the picture when components of the group are found in Russian war equipment. Especially components that can be used for both civil and military purposes have been under special scrutiny at least since the Russian annexation of Crimea.
Many suppliers were closely linked to Russia
Bosch is not alone with the problem: other suppliers such as Knorr- Bremse , ZF or Liebherr, who manufacture brakes, transmissions or engines in joint ventures with the largest Russian truck manufacturer Kamaz or issue licenses, must strictly document that the parts can only be manufactured in be installed in civilian vehicles. Bosch confirmed that it would comply with the legal and legal requirements – including sanctions.
So far, the world’s largest truck manufacturer, Daimler Truck, has been even more involved, with a direct stake of 15 percent in Kamaz. However, the Swabians say they have now frozen all activities in Russia and are examining how they can separate from their controversial partner Kamaz.
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Bosch’s involvement in Russia also has a long tradition: the company first came to Russia in 1904, but there was a break during the Soviet era. Bosch has been back in the country since 1993. Today, the Bosch Group manufactures automotive equipment, power tools, packaging technology, and household appliances at its locations in Engels, Togliatti, and St. Petersburg. With 3,500 employees, Bosch mainly produces for the local market.
According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of 1.2 billion euros in Russia in 2021. According to preliminary figures, Bosch achieved sales of around 170 million euros in Ukraine in 2021 with around 360 employees. According to Bosch, deliveries to Russia have now been partially interrupted in the course of the sanctions. Local production is massively restricted.
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