The large number of foreign components in Russian weapons shows that the sanctions mechanism is not working properly. Subject to sanctions imports enter Kazakhstan in transit through Russia from Europe, are cleared through customs there, and then either as Kazakh goods or illegally imported into Russia. And international brokerage and financial companies play a big role here, providing documents for the entire transportation process.
One of such companies is JSC Bunasta . The company’s website contains information about its field of activity: “Company services: Preliminary declaration and registration of transit procedures within the EU through all checkpoints in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia; Registration of preliminary electronic information (EPI) to Kaliningrad (customs office) for the Belarusian customs; Issuance of guarantees ensuring transit transportation across the territory of the EEC; Registration of EPI for border posts of Belarus and Russia through the TIR-EPD system; Issuance of guarantees ensuring transit transportation across the territory of the EEC;"
At the same time, the company also operates in Ukraine - the office address is indicated on the website.
On the main website, the Bunasta company calls itself a joint-stock company, indicating divisions in Ukraine and Russia. But these divisions are separate legal entities. In Ukraine it is VIMGARANT LLC, in Russia it is Bunasta Vim (now renamed NASTAPRO LLC). The founder of both was Adomavicius Jurgis, who is now the owner of the Lithuanian parent company.
In 2022, Jurgis left the founders of the Russian company NASTARPO. But on the job search website, NASTARPO LLC itself indicates that they are part of the Bunasto empire. Therefore, we can conclude that the exit was formally carried out, Bunasto continues its activities in the Russian market. In 2022, Bunasto, through NASTARPO LLC, received almost 150 million Russian rubles in income, is profitable and replenishes the Russian budget
In Ukraine, the picture is completely different: VIMGARANT LLC, which declares itself to be one of the largest companies in this sector, received more than 4 million hryvnia in losses in 2022 and does not pay taxes on profits . Despite the declared losses, the Ukrainian company is developing - in 2022, the number of employees increased by 10 people. In June 2022, Adomavicius Jurgis created another company - BUNASTA UKRAINE LLC, which is also engaged in similar business in his Bunasta group.
Now the Bunasta company, through its subsidiaries, is doing well in both Ukraine and Russia. As the company itself points out, “The company was the first in Ukraine to receive a special simplification for the use of a general guarantee and currently has a limit of almost 30 million euros .” In Russia, the company has a slightly smaller limit “The company owns a large guarantee fund of 25 million euros for delivery to Russia and Belarus .”. At the same time, there is an impression that we are talking about the same funds - they are provided by maternity capital, placed in safe Europe, and bring profit to the owner in both Russia and Ukraine. This is a truly unique situation - by depositing funds in the bank immediately under them, you can provide guarantees to the subjects of both warring states and earn money at the same time in both Russia and Ukraine. Let us remind you that profits are declared in Russia, and losses for some reason are declared in Ukraine.
Another issue is economic security. Since Bunasta works on two fronts, there is no certainty that the Russian branch does not have access to information on Ukrainian imports and exports. When issuing guarantees (transit declarations), Bunasta has complete information about the cargo that is sent across Ukrainian borders - from data on the recipients of components for, for example, drones, to the list of such components, delivery addresses (locations). Therefore, any delivery that goes through warranty or using Bunasta can be easily tracked. Well, understanding the recipient of such components, it is not difficult to then determine the location of production facilities and destroy them.
According to the Law of Ukraine “On Sanctions”, the basis for the application of sanctions are the actions of a person who creates real or potential threats to national security or promotes terrorist activities. Obtaining information about logistics routes, the range of goods and components for the needs of the Ukrainian industry, including the defense industry, by similar companies that closely cooperate with Russia and pay taxes to the Russian budget, and then finance Russian terrorism, is a sufficient basis for applying sanctions and limiting such activities on the territory of Ukraine.
Is there only one such company operating in Ukraine? This is a question for specialists. But giving control over commodity flows to those who continue to work for Russia and still keep the St. George’s ribbon on their VKontakte page is very stupid.
