The Aughinish alumina plant in Ireland, part of Oleg Deripaska’s company Rusal, may be supplying the Russian army. This is stated in an investigation by Important Stories.
Alumina is the main raw material used to produce aluminum, which is needed for manufacturing military equipment.
According to the journalists, the raw bauxite processed into alumina at Aughinish is mined at Rusal-owned sites in Guinea. These deposits are described as the company’s key raw material base.
Important Stories reports that 50% of supplies go to Russian plants linked to Rusal. In 2024, they received alumina worth $400 million.
Aluminum produced by Rusal is supplied through the company ASK. It sells materials to enterprises carrying out state defense orders. In particular, its clients reportedly include the Arzamas Instrument-Making Plant, which produces the Kh-101 cruise missile, and the Votkinsk Plant, which manufactures Iskander-M ballistic missiles.
"Even if these supplies are technically legal, this demonstrates gaps in European sanctions enforcement," said Alexander Danilyuk, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London).