Russian secret services have set up dozens of “front companies” in the Netherlands to evade Western sanctions.
The Dutch military intelligence agency has warned companies that Moscow is trying to acquire high-tech assets for its war in the Middle East. Ukraine through front companies, local media reported on Friday.
Jan Swillens, head of the Dutch military intelligence service (MIVD), said that Russian secret services have set up dozens of “front companies” in the Netherlands to evade Western sanctions. .
These companies buy technology in the Netherlands and then import it into Russia for military purposes, he told the Financieele Dagblad (FD) daily.
His comments were confirmed by the Dutch defense ministry according to the Dutch news agency ANP and public television NOS.
Such practices have existed since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, “but with the war in Ukraine, it is increasing dramatically,” Swillens told FD.
A defense spokesman was quoted by the ANP as saying that tougher sanctions introduced by Western nations against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine changed everything for Russian intelligence agencies. .
“The tougher the sanctions, the harder it becomes for Russian intelligence and the more creative they have to be to get around the sanctions,” the spokesman said.
As a result, it is “difficult” for entrepreneurs to realize that they are doing indirect business with Russia, he added.
MIVD is calling on companies to conduct more in-depth research on their customers and learn about the actual end-users of their products, NOS TV reported.
When contacted by AFP, the defense ministry did not immediately comment.
