Italian equipment worth over $2.3 million was supplied to Russia in 2024–2025, while its manufacturers — FPT Industrie, HELVI, and HARDITALIA — were showcased at the Metalloobrabotka-2025 industrial exhibition in Moscow, according to research by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU), reports Linkiesta. Among the 49 shipments were products subject to EU sanctions due to their potential use in the military industry.
Having analyzed customs data, the ESCU identified the sale of a sanctioned CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine produced by FPT Industrie S.p.A to Russia. The Italian equipment, worth $1.83 million, was exported by the Kazakh company LLP Genius Loci, which also participated in Metalloobrabotka-2025. A similar FPT Industrie S.p.A. machine was also listed in the official exhibition catalogue.
Another Italian company, HARDITALIA S.R.L., sold its equipment directly to Russia. Among its 19 shipments in 2024–2025, worth $273,129, there were grinding machines, hydraulic presses, and machines for wire and gear forming — all included in Annex I of EU Regulation 833/2014, which bans the export of goods with potential military applications to Russia.
Meanwhile, Russia received 29 shipments of HELVI products worth $288,870 via Turkey — including arc welding machines, electro-erosion machines, and static converters, all listed among dual-use goods. An official subsidiary called Helvi LLC operates in Russia, promoting and distributing Italian products through the website helvi-weld.ru, using the same brand name, materials, and graphics as the parent company HELVI.
“Most of these products are already subject to EU sanctions. The key issue is compliance and accountability for violations. Responsibility must be taken by both Italian companies and the national government, since enforcing EU sanctions is the duty of member states,” — explained Roman Steblivskyi, Policy Expert at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU).
Earlier, the ESCU revealed that Italy was one of the main suppliers of epoxy resin essential for the production of Iskander-M missiles, while India supplied half of Russia’s imports of fuel additives used in Su-34 and Su-35S fighter jets.