The UK government has halted the export of advanced industrial machinery to an Armenian firm after an inquiry revealed links between the company and Russia’s defense sector.
According to a report by The Guardian, the UK Department for Business and Trade is reconsidering its earlier ruling that no license was needed for the export of certain equipment, as the machinery might be used in the production of missile and drone parts.
Cygnet Texkimp, a company based in Cheshire, had planned to deliver two machines capable of producing carbon fiber ‘prepreg,’ a material essential in both civilian aerospace and military applications due to its high strength and lightweight properties.
UK authorities last year informed the company that no special export license was required, but Trade Minister Chris Bryant has since put the agreement on hold. As per the reports, the license review was reopened due to concerns that the machinery could be redirected into Russia’s military supply chain.
The Guardian reported that Rydena LLC, an Armenian company founded by former executives of Russia’s Umatex—a key supplier of carbon fiber to the Russian military—may have links to the Kremlin’s military supply chain. This has raised concerns that UK-made equipment could be used to bypass sanctions.
Trade Minister Chris Bryant confirmed the government is reassessing its earlier stance that the exports were not subject to a license, as the goods were not considered to be controlled. He added that, following discussions with the manufacturer, the government concluded that certain components of the production machinery should fall under dual-use export restrictions.
Earlier, Armenia started purchasing Indian-made weapons, such as Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers and Swathi counter-battery radars, to reduce its dependence on Russia and broaden its defense partnerships.
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