Campine, a Belgian firm, has recently faced charges that it may have violated European Union sanctions against Russia. According to Ukrainian officials, the company, which specializes in producing antimony trioxide, has been involved in selling the product to Russia via intermediary countries, violating EU prohibitions on such shipments, according to Belgian outlet DeMorgen on August 8.
Campine, headquartered in the Belgian town of Beerse, has seen a significant increase in business recently, owing mostly to a Chinese export prohibition on antimony and derivatives. According to DeMorgen, the company has grown to become the world’s largest producer of the product, and its stock price has risen as a result of high demand and excellent market conditions.
However, Ukrainian investigators have expressed worry that Campine may have breached EU sanctions, The Kyiv Independent wrote. According to claims, the Belgian company continued to ship sanctioned metal oxides through countries like Belarus, Turkey, and Uzbekistan before re-exporting the product to Russia.
According to DeMorgen, Russia imported more than 1,000 tons of antimony oxides in 2024, totaling around $18.6 million, with a large portion originating from Belgium.
Antimony trioxide has both civilian and military applications, including batteries, solar panels, fireproofing materials, and even military purposes like infrared-blocking tents. Ukrainian officials are concerned that Russia’s ongoing supply of antimony may have enhanced its military capabilities.
Campine, on the other hand, maintains that it behaved in good faith and followed procedures. The company argues that it has taken steps to prevent its items from reaching Russia, such as requiring distributors to sign declarations promising not to export to Russia or Belarus.
However, in response to inquiries from De Morgen journalists, Campine launched an internal inquiry and discovered that in May 2024, the Uzbek firm Market Data Group, owned by a Russian individual, ordered 80 tons of antimony trioxide from Campine.
The correspondence relating to this order cited the Russian company VitaChem, which has direct contracts with ammunition and military equipment producers in the Russian Federation. An order was placed through a distributor.
As Ukrainian authorities urge the Belgian government to investigate, the situation shows the difficulties of enforcing sanctions and ensuring that European corporations do not unintentionally participate in the violation of international laws.
Previously, it was reported that during a special event hosted by Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for honorary consuls and Ukrainian ambassadors, representatives of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) displayed captured Russian weapons and numerous Western-made electronic components that were still making their way into Russia despite international sanctions.
