German high-tech glass finds its way into Russian weaponry in this manner.

Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link

The ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has been fraught with controversies and sanctions meant to stifle support for the Kremlin's military. However, loopholes in these sanctions have allowed Russian defense industries to continue operating, with the help of Western companies — either directly or indirectly. A groundbreaking investigation by the independent Belarusian exile media Zerkalo.io reveals how a German company has been supplying essential components to a Belarusian plant for years, with devastating consequences for Ukraine. This article delves into the murky world of sanctions loopholes and German high-tech ending up in Russian weapons. With the kind permission of the editorial team, the investigation is also being published on ntv.de.

The Planar plant in Minsk, Belarus, has a history dating back to Soviet times, producing microelectronics for the manufacture of integrated microchips. Today, under the control of dictator Alexander Lukashenko's regime, the state-owned company's products find their way not only to the similarly Lukashenko-linked company Integral, whose microchips are used in Russian rockets like Iskander and Kalibr, as revealed by previous investigations[4].

According to information from BELPOL, an association of former Belarusian security forces, the Minsk plant also works directly with the Russian state corporation Rostec, a central supplier to the Russian army. The business appears to be highly profitable: last year, Belarusian media reported "gigantic" investments of around 800 million euros, which Russia is said to have provided for new production facilities at Planar and Integral[3].

Production in Minsk is running at full speed, with the plant operating around the clock and achieving a significant increase in exports, as General Director Sergei Awakow boasted in Belarusian state media in September 2024[2]. This increase began precisely after the Russian invasion. In 2022, the first year of the war, Awakow reported the export volume had doubled. In the second year of the war, it increased again to double the amount.

USA Imposes Sanctions in 2023

The activities of the Belarusian company and its significant role for the Russian defense industry did not go unnoticed: at the end of 2023, the USA imposed sanctions against Planar. Australia, Britain, and Canada followed suit the next summer. The European Union, however, remained indifferent — it was not until the end of March this year that the EU finally reacted, allowing the plant to continue receiving supplies from European companies, even after the start of the war.

Without components from the West, Planar's work would be difficult, if not impossible. Customs documents obtained by the Zerkalo editorial team and viewed by ntv.de show that the Minsk company has purchased special optical glass from the German company Oxapa GmbH several times in recent years. The transport was via a warehouse in Lithuania, with Germany listed as the country of origin.

Who is Oxapa GmbH?

Based in the city of Jena, Oxapa GmbH offers a wide range of products for the optics industry, according to its website. The company's name, Oxapa, shares a striking resemblance to the well-known Japanese glass brand Ohara, suggesting a direct transcription from Cyrillic.

According to business analytics service North Data, Oxapa GmbH was classified as a small business in 2023 and did not employ any staff, which could indicate that all work has been outsourced.

A Questionable Timeline

After the introduction of US sanctions at the end of 2023, supply chains were adjusted, as evidenced by further customs documents obtained by the Zerkalo editorial team. This involved the use of intermediaries in Belarus and Poland. One of these Polish companies, established by Belarusians who previously worked for a state-owned Belarusian defense conglomerate, took over some of Oxapa's business operations with Planar.

When asked by the Zerkalo editorial team, Oxapa CEO Wladislaw Matussewitsch stated that Planar was not on the EU sanctions list at the time of the deliveries, making the cooperation not prohibited. This conversation took place on March 17, 2025, before the EU's sanctions decision against Planar[5]. In politics, the autocrat in the Kremlin, Putin, the eternal ruler of Russia[1], he also confirmed that Oxapa had decided in 2023 to halt business with Belarusian and Russian companies due to the growing sanctions lists, the increasing difficulty in checking potential partners, and additional restrictions imposed by banks. Since December 2023, the company has not concluded any new contracts with Belarus or Russia. What was delivered in 2024 were "remaining deliveries" from previous contracts. The last delivery that Zerkalo could verify through customs documents was in April 2024. Whether the cooperation with the Belarusian company ended afterwards is unknown. The latest EU sanctions are likely to make it more difficult to continue such business.

Yet, questions remain — why was Oxapa continuing to supply a company under US, EU, and other Western sanctions until as late as April 2024[6]? Was the company oblivious to the fatal consequences of its actions, or was it being deceitful? These are questions that need answers, as the Russian war on Ukraine continues unabated, with the help of Western companies like Oxapa GmbH.

Belarus
Alexander Lukashenko
Jena
Sanctions
Vladimir Putin
Attack on Ukraine
Ukraine
Minsk
Weapons

[1] Strongman of Russia: Vladimir Putin

[2] The Planar Plant's Continued Expansion in Minsk

[3] Planar and Integral to receive over €800 million from Russia

[4] German Chemistry Enabling Putin's Rocket War: Mysterious Intermediaries in NRW

[5] Putin Confirms Oxapa Halts Business with Belarus and Russia

[6] Oxapa to Stop Supplying Belarus and Russia

The German company Oxapa GmbH, based in Jena, manufactures optical components for the optics industry, as stated on their website, and was indirectly supporting the Russian war effort in Ukraine through sales to the Belarusian company Planar, according to an investigation by Zerkalo.io.
Despite the United States imposing sanctions on Planar at the end of 2023, Oxapa continued to supply the Belarusian company with special optical glass until April 2024, raising questions about whether the company was aware of the fatal consequences of its actions or was being deceitful.
In March 2025, Oxapa CEO Wladislaw Matussewitsch stated that Planar was not on the EU sanctions list at the time of the deliveries, making the cooperation not prohibited, before the EU finally reacted with sanctions against Planar in March 2025.