645,000 rounds of Swiss sniper ammunition reach Ukraine
Keystone-SDA
Sniper ammunition from Swiss P Defence reached Ukraine via a Polish company in July 2023, reported SRF Investigativ on Thursday, citing official information.
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According to Swiss public television, SRF, and the audit report by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the delivery by the Thun-based company Swiss P Defence (formerly Ruag Ammotec) consisted of 645,000 rounds of sniper ammunition of two different calibres. The report was seen by the Keystone-SDA news agency.
The rounds were sent to the Polish company UMO SP, which then passed the ammunition on to Ukraine four days later.
Use in Ukraine unclear
This re-export violated the arms embargo and Switzerland’s principle of not supporting arms deliveries to belligerent states.
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SECO told SRF: “We can confirm that exports to the Polish company in question will no longer be authorised until further notice.” It is unclear whether the ammunition was used in Ukraine.
As the SECO audit report also states, Swiss P Defence knew nothing about the transfer prior to the delivery. It therefore exported the ammunition on the assumption that it would remain in Poland. In November 2022 and May 2023 respectively, SECO approved the export, which took place in two deliveries, on presentation of an import licence from Poland in accordance with Article 5b of the War Materiel Ordinance.
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Agreement that ammunition will remain in Poland
Swiss P Defence has also taken measures to minimise such risks. For example, it was agreed with the Polish company in a framework agreement that the ammunition could be resold only to state authorities, private security companies, weapons manufacturers or sports organisations on Polish territory, SECO concluded.
According to the SECO audit report, 145,000 rounds of 0.338-calibre sniper ammunition and 500,000 rounds of 0.308-calibre ammunition were delivered from Poland to Ukraine on July 14, 2023.
Translated from German by DeepL/ts
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