Russian missile silo. Photo: AP / picture alliance
The German construction giant Knauf has continued supplying materials for the modernization of Russian nuclear facilities, despite its public statements about distancing itself from operations in Russia. The revelation comes from documents in Russia’s state procurement database, obtained by journalists from Der Spiegel and the Danish outlet Danwatch. The files include blueprints and specifications for the construction of guard towers and other infrastructure around ICBM silos near Yasny, in Russia’s Orenburg Region.
According to the documents, the Russian military is actively using Western-made products — including cement, plaster, adhesives, and insulation materials — for secret military installations. Among the most frequently used suppliers is Knauf, a Bavarian firm with multi-billion-euro revenues. One procurement request from autumn 2022 lists 32 tonnes of Knauf-Rotband plaster for the 368th Regiment near the city of Yasny.
Der Spiegel notes that while Knauf publicly condemns Russia’s war on Ukraine and has declared its intention to leave the Russian market, the company maintains full control over its Russian subsidiaries. One of these subsidiaries was even granted “systemically important” status by the Russian government in March 2022 — shortly after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The deliveries are conducted under so-called “import substitution” schemes: rather than shipping from Germany, Knauf now produces similar products at Russian and Belarusian plants. For example, the Unihard gypsum filler replaced the discontinued German product Uniflott. Since February 2022, Knauf Gips, Knauf’s Russian subsidiary, has registered at least 20 new trademarks in Russia.
Der Spiegel also reports that the modernization of Russian nuclear sites is proceeding rapidly. Experts say the new facilities are better protected and are built with higher-quality materials. Intelligence sources indicate that some silo positions have already been outfitted with Avangard hypersonic missile systems, which are equipped with advanced warheads and improved targeting capabilities.
But this does not mean that all is well with Russia’s nuclear forces. In September 2024, a test of the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile at Russia’s Plesetsk launch site in the northern Arkhangelsk Region ended in complete failure, with the missile detonating inside the silo.
