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Sanctions Be Damned: Russia Smuggles Crucial Austrian Machine to Keep Artillery Firing
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
An Austrian forging machine used to manufacture artillery barrels has been delivered to Russia via a Spanish intermediary, raising concerns about sanctions enforcement.
The equipment, essential to Russia’s artillery production capabilities, was acquired despite export restrictions imposed after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to an investigation by The Insider, a company based in Barcelona—Forward Technical Trade SL—supplied a used GFM (Gesellschaft für Fertigungstechnik und Maschinenbau) rotary forging machine to the Russian firm AZK Group, located in Izhevsk.
The 1983 model, weighing 110 tons and valued at approximately $1.3 million, was transferred with the involvement of a Hong Kong-based firm, Scorpion’s Holding Group Limited. The equipment entered Russia through the Nizhny Novgorod customs service.
Court documents reveal a dispute between AZK Group and Russian customs authorities over the classification of the machine, whether it should be categorized as radial or rotary forging equipment. GFM, the Austrian manufacturer, told The Insider that it has never had any business relationships or contact with either Forward Technical Trade or Scorpion’s Holding Group Limited.
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Despite being decades old, the GFM machine is critical for Russia’s ability to produce artillery barrels. According to the UK-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), such equipment has been in use by the Soviet Union—and later Russia—since the 1970s. In total, 26 similar forging machines were imported during that period.
These machines are used to manufacture long artillery barrels with specific precision and material properties, which cannot be achieved through conventional metalworking methods.
Pavel Luzin, a non-resident fellow at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, noted that Russia’s artillery production is fully dependent on Austrian GFM machines.
The country does not possess the technological capability to produce such equipment independently. Although a domestic version was announced in 2011 by the Motovilikha Plants, no further updates on its development have been reported.
Russia’s need for artillery barrels has grown acute since 2023, with open-source intelligence analysts reporting a chronic shortage of barrels and increased reliance on dismantling old Soviet artillery systems.
In some cases, Russian forces have reportedly adapted naval or North Korean artillery systems, including 107 mm calibers, for land-based operations to address the shortage.
The forging machines are vital for sustaining artillery firepower during high-intensity combat, as barrels degrade rapidly under sustained use. Without the ability to produce new barrels, Russia would face mounting constraints on its artillery operations.
The Spanish General Directorate for Trade Policy, responsible for monitoring sanctions compliance, responded to The Insider by stating that any suspected violations involving dual-use goods should be reported to Spain’s National Court under relevant legislation.
The European Commission’s financial services directorate (FISMA) did not respond to inquiries regarding the transfer.
Earlier, an investigation revealed that at least 12 Czech manufacturers supplied metalworking machines to Russia in 2023–2024, including dual-use equipment used in military production.
Despite EU sanctions, the machinery—originating from companies like Šmeral Brno, Varnsdorf, and TAJMAC-ZPS—reached Russian firms via third countries such as Serbia and Turkey. One recipient was located near a Shahed drone facility. Czech officials pledged to investigate after President Zelenskyy publicly raised the issue.
