Ukraine adds Alibaba to the list of international sponsors of war
The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) has added the Chinese group of companies Alibaba Group Holding Limited to the list of international sponsors of war.
This was reported on the NACP website.
It is noted that the company still operates in Russia and also provides its platforms for the sale of goods made from copper exported from the Ukrainian occupied territories.
In Russia, the most widespread online commerce platform is AliExpress, which is operated by the Russian subsidiary of the Alibaba Group, Alibaba.COM (RU) LLC.
Alibaba.COM (RU) LLC is owned by Aliexpress Russia Holding Private Ltd. registered in Singapore. As of 2023, the company continues to operate in Russia and provides an international platform for the sale of foreign goods. The profit of Alibaba.COM (RU) LLC for 2022 is 16.3 billion rubles (about $160 million).
In April 2023, Reuters revealed that the Chinese company Quzhou Nova had purchased at least 3,220 tons of copper alloy for a total of $7.4 million from the Russian-controlled Debaltseve Metallurgical Engineering Plant. The company made its purchase from October 8, 2022 to March 24, 2023.
According to the customs, the copper alloy was shipped from the plant through the port of Novorossiysk. The company uses the copper taken from the occupied territories to produce goods that it sells on Alibaba’s platforms.
The NACP also notes that Alibaba also censors Ukrainian content on its platforms related to the Russian war. In March 2022, Alibaba blocked the profile of a Ukrainian streamer who had more than 268 thousand subscribers on AliExpress for posting about the war. At the same time, pro-Russian posts on the platform are not removed.
“All the above facts may indicate that the company supports Russian aggression not only financially by paying taxes, but also ideologically,” the NACP said in a statement.
On August 10, Ukraine added the Bermuda-based Bacardi alcohol company, which does business in Russia, to the list of international sponsors of the war.
The list of “International Sponsors of War” was developed by the NACP and posted on the War and Sanctions portal. All companies that cooperate with the aggressor and are included in the International Sponsors of War register are included in the world’s largest database, World-Check.
