Czech firms suspected of circumventing sanctions against Russia

Some Czech companies may be bypassing sanctions against Russia and continuing trade with the country, Czech Minister for European Affairs Martin Dvořák told Czech Television. While he admitted having no concrete cases at hand, he indicated the government may request intelligence from Ukraine. The Ministry of Industry and Trade announced on Saturday it would investigate the matter. In recent remarks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that certain firms—including Czech and German ones—continue to supply machinery to Russia used in weapons production. He called for sanctions against them, naming neither the Czech nor the German companies, but stating he had shared information with 26 countries, including the United States and members of the European Union.