Ukraine investigating Catalan-based company for 'supplying material to Russian soldiers'

Gavary Group included in list of sanctions targets for providing "warm insoles and shoes" to front

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, talking to the press in Brussels in February 2023
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, talking to the press in Brussels in February 2023 / Unió Europea
Catalan News

Catalan News | @catalannews | Barcelona

March 23, 2023 11:51 AM

March 23, 2023 12:53 PM

Ukraine is looking into a company based in Vilassar de Dalt, a town 20 km north of Barcelona, for "supplying Russian soldiers" with materials such as footwear used on the front lines.

The Eastern European country's National Agency on Corruption Prevention has included the firm, Gavary Group, on its list of sanctions targets, as first published by Catalan newspaper 'El Periódico'.

In a statement published on March 16, the public agency said that "data about the company has been submitted for consideration by the Interdepartmental Working Group on the implementation of sanctions policy (IWG)."

According to Ukraine, the company is among the top 10 suppliers of polymer products to Russia and when the war began, it began to work for the "Russian military-industrial complex."

"Gavary Group openly supports Russia’s war against Ukraine and supplies Russian soldiers with warm insoles and shoes made of EVA polymers of its own production. Gavary brand cartridges are sold in millions of batches and go to the front," reads the statement.

Ukraine's corruption prevention agency also believes that it supplies its products to JSC Kalashnikov Concern, a Russian defense business.

"EVA polymers from Gavary are also used in the production of special shoes, body armor and helmets for Russian soldiers."

According to their website, Gavary Group is a polymer development and manufacturing company "with over 20 years in the industry" and with an R&D division in Barcelona.