Switzerland investigates suspected export of rifle ammunition to Ukraine

By Timo Kirez

GENEVA (AA) – The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), which is responsible for exports of war materiel, is investigating a suspicion that Swiss rifle ammunition was exported to Ukraine via Poland.

"Seco is aware of the report that Swiss ammunition may have been exported to Ukraine via Poland and has identified exports to a Polish company that could be affected," the State Secretariat wrote in a statement on Thursday.

The Swiss War Material Act prohibits the export of Swiss armaments to countries embroiled in civil war or in armed conflict with another state – including re-export. The law was tightened in 2021, even before the military escalation in Ukraine.

The suspicion was triggered by an article published on Nov. 1 by an American journalist for the US military and weapons portal Defense One. In the article, the journalist also published delivery bills for Swiss ammunition that are said to have reached Ukraine via a Polish company.

According to a report in the Swiss daily NZZ, a considerable quantity of the ammunition is said to have been manufactured by the Swiss company Swiss P. The published delivery bill lists 145,000 rounds of sniper ammunition, caliber 0.338 Magnum Lapua.

In a statement to the daily, Swiss P said: "Swiss P Defence always and exclusively supplies its customers within the framework of the applicable legal provisions of Switzerland."

The Swiss company also stated that at no time had ammunition been exported to a prohibited country. The Polish company did not issue a statement.

In the past, the Swiss government repeatedly rejected foreign applications for the re-export of Swiss war material to Ukraine. For example, Germany was not allowed to export ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft tank and Denmark was prohibited from supplying the decommissioned Piranha wheeled infantry fighting vehicles.