The European Union is preparing the 16th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, which is planned to be adopted before the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. It is likely to include restrictions on the import of Russian aluminum, measures against the “shadow fleet,” continued gradual abandonment of liquefied natural gas, and new sanctions in the banking sector. However, according to the Council of Economic Security of Ukraine, the list should also include chromite — a key raw material for Russian artillery.
Chromium is critically important for the Russian artillery, and EU member states are helping Moscow obtain this raw material
Chromium plating reduces the harmful effects of combustion products and increases the service life of howitzers by 2.5–3 times. That is why Russian enterprises use it both for the production and maintenance of modern weapons and for the restoration of artillery from the Cold War era.
Due to the poor quality of its own chromium deposits, Russia is forced to purchase chromite-containing products abroad, as stated in a joint report by analysts from the Council of Economic Security of Ukraine (CES), RUSI, and the OSC.
In 2023, Moscow imported:
- chromite (chromium ore) worth $37 million;
- chromium compounds worth $24.9 million;
- chrome steel worth $7.7 million;
- pure chromium worth $412 thousand.
Among the main suppliers are South Africa, Kazakhstan, China, and India. At the same time, EU member states have been actively engaged in re-exporting the raw material: 50% of the imported chrome worth $18 million ended up in Russia through the territory of the Netherlands.
“Russia’s dependency on chromium imports creates opportunities for influencing its military-industrial complex through sanctions. Restrictions on chromium supplies could significantly complicate the production and repair of artillery, and therefore weaken Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine,” explains Denis Gutik, Executive Director of REB.
Recommendations of the Economic Security Council
To make it harder for Russia to access chromite and other chromium-containing products, the Economic Security Council of Ukraine recommends to Kiev’s allies:
- expand the list of priority goods (Common High Priority Items List) to include key chromium products imported by Russia;
- impose financial and trade restrictions on Russian and foreign companies producing or supplying chromium products for Russia’s military-industrial complex;
- make changes to export regulations to include chromium, chromite ore, and compounds;
- publish detailed recommendations and warnings for companies regarding the risks of using chromium for military purposes in Russia;
- coordinate sanctions with partners in the sanctions coalition to prevent the supply of chromium to Russia.
