EU-based plant supplies Russia with raw materials used in the manufacture of weapons

Irish plant Aughinish Alumina is continuing to supply Russia with raw materials used to produce aluminium, which investigators say could end up being utilised in weapons manufacturing.

Source: Associated Press

Details: The plant is owned by Russian company Rusal and is Europe's largest producer of alumina. This raw material is used to produce aluminium, which is used in the manufacture of missiles, drones and military aircraft, among other things.

Activist group Alumina 22 estimates that 491,307 tonnes of alumina were shipped from Ireland to Russia between March and October 2026.

An investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and The Irish Times found that alumina from Aughinish is processed into aluminium in Russia, some of which is sold to a trader that supplies the metal to Russian defence contractors.

Aughinish denies that its products are linked to military supply chains and says it undergoes independent monthly inspections. A spokesperson for the Irish government also said there was no evidence of such use.

Exports of alumina to Russia are still not prohibited under EU sanctions. The European Commission is seeking to establish the positions of member states regarding these shipments.

Background: In July, the EU was reluctant to impose restrictions on Aughinish over concerns about the supply of raw materials to Europe's automotive and defence industries and to manufacturers of power grid equipment, the Financial Times reported.

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