Public service 645,000 rounds of Swiss sniper ammunition reached Ukraine

Sniper ammunition from Swiss P Defence apparently reached Ukraine in July 2023 via a Polish company. This was reported by SRF Investigativ on Thursday, citing information from Seco.

According to SRF and the audit report by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the delivery by the Thun-based company Swiss P Defence (formerly Ruag Ammotec) consisted of 645,000 rounds of sniper ammunition in two different calibers. The report is available to the Keystone-SDA news agency. They were sent to the Polish company UMO SP, which then passed the ammunition on to Ukraine four days later.

Use in Ukraine unclear

This re-export violated the arms embargo and Switzerland's principle of not supporting arms deliveries to belligerent states. Seco told SRF: "We can confirm that exports to the Polish company in question will no longer be authorized until further notice." It is unclear whether the ammunition was used in Ukraine.

As the Seco audit report also states, Swiss P Defence knew nothing about the transfer prior to the delivery. It therefore exported the ammunition on the assumption that it would remain in Poland. In November 2022 and May 2023 respectively, Seco approved the export, which took place in two deliveries, on presentation of an import license from Poland in accordance with Article 5b of the War Material Ordinance.

Agreement that ammunition will remain in Poland

Swiss P Defence has also taken measures to minimize such risks. For example, it was agreed with the Polish company in a framework agreement that the ammunition could only be resold to state authorities, private security companies, weapons manufacturers or sports organizations on Polish territory, Seco concludes.

According to the Seco audit report, 145,000 rounds of 0.338-caliber sniper ammunition and 500,000 rounds of 0.308-caliber ammunition were delivered from Poland to Ukraine on 14 July 2023.

SDA