A BBC investigation has uncovered potential breaches of sanctions against Russia involving high-tech equipment worth $2.1 million (£1.6m) manufactured by a UK firm, Beck Optronic Solutions. The company, which produces precision lenses for military and defense applications, claims no knowledge of the shipments.
The investigation traced the equipment’s route through two companies registered in Kyrgyzstan: Rama Group LLC and Shisan LLC. Rama Group was founded by Valeria Baigascina, a 25-year-old part-time model from Kazakhstan living in Belarus, who maintains a jet-set lifestyle on social media.
Customs documents reveal that Rama Group made two shipments to Sol Group, a sanctioned company in Smolensk, Russia. These shipments were listed as “rotating part of camera” and sent in December 2023 and January 2024. Shisan LLC was responsible for four additional shipments, including two to the Ural Optical & Mechanical Plant, another sanctioned entity that produces bomb-aiming equipment.
Trade data shows UK exports to Kyrgyzstan have increased by over 300% since sanctions were introduced in February 2022. Experts suspect many goods are actually destined for Moscow. The specific lenses sold by Beck Optronic are listed as items that either cannot be legally exported to Russia or require special permission.
When confronted, Baigascina claimed she sold the company in May and denied any involvement in sanctioned shipments. The new owner, her friend Angelina Zhurenko, also denied any wrongdoing.
A broader analysis by the Washington-based think tank C4ADS revealed more extensive shipments:
– Shisan completed 373 shipments to Russia between July and December 2023, with 288 containing “high-priority battlefield items”
– Rama Group made 1,756 shipments in the same period, with 1,355 classified as battlefield items
– Recent shipments included electronics from US and UK companies to Titan-Mikro, a sanctioned Russian military sector company
Olena Tregub from Ukraine’s anti-corruption organization warns that these technology transfers are potentially deadly. “Without those technologies, those weapons would not fly,” she stated, emphasizing that Western technology is crucial to advanced military equipment.
International authorities are aware of Kyrgyzstan’s role in sanctions evasion. In April, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron visited Bishkek to urge stronger sanctions compliance. The EU’s Special Envoy for Sanctions Implementation, David O’Sullivan, acknowledged ongoing efforts to shut down “illicit procurement networks.”
Beck Optronic Solutions maintains it has not breached any export controls and believes some customs documents may have been falsified. The investigation raises significant questions about the effectiveness of current sanctions against Russia.
