Russia imported at least 232 tonnes of liquid epoxy resins from Italy in 2024, covering 21% of its total imports and making Italy the second-largest supplier after China (42%), according to the research by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU), as reported by Corriere della Sera. The material is essential for producing carbon-fiber casings used in Iskander-M ballistic missiles.
According to ESCU data, the shipments of epoxy resins to Russia were made by Sir Industriale S.p.A., a chemical company based in Macherio, Lombardy. In response to Corriere della Sera, the company stated that its products, due to their high molecular weight, are intended solely for civilian use — such as coatings for tin cans, food packaging, or steel products.
However, customs data analyzed by both ESCU and Corriere della Sera recorded 18 shipments of low-molecular-weight liquid epoxy resins from Sir Industriale S.p.A., classified under HS code 3907300009, which can also be used in military production. Russian importers included Uralproekt, YAZPK, and Prime Top — all linked to JSC “Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau” (KBM), which manufactures missiles for the Iskander-M system. Some transactions were also routed through the Polish company Kamex Magazyn, likely to conceal the end user.
“At the time of these shipments, the EU had not yet imposed sanctions on epoxy resins, so no violation occurred. However, European exporters can and should conduct due diligence to verify whether their clients are connected to the Russian government or its military industry, if they do not wish their products to become part of the aggressor’s weapons,” said Olena Yurchenko, Director for Analytics, Research, and Investigations at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU).
Earlier, the ESCU revealed shipments of 300 tonnes of sanctioned antimony oxide worth over €4.5 million from Belgium to Russia, as well as Moscow’s critical dependence on imported sodium chlorate, another chemical essential for the production of Iskander-M missiles.