A recent investigation claims that despite American restrictions imposed after 2014, a U.S. corporation sent technology to a Russian missile industry. MMZ Avangard is a Russian state-owned missile manufacturer, and it was discovered that Extreme Networks provided information technology solutions to them, according to a Reuters article that included emails, financial documents, and interviews.
The S-400, Russia’s most sophisticated missile defence system, is most commonly associated with MMZ Avangard since it uses its missiles. Extreme said in a statement to Reuters that it has informed U.S. authorities of its discoveries and that it believes a surrogate customer sent the equipment to Russia. According to Reuters, evidence suggested that between 2017 and 2021, MMZ Avangard purchased over $500,000 worth of Extreme equipment, mostly for its IT networks.
Despite Extreme’s denials, an internal complaint dated April of this year, six weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started, said that ‘Extreme technology is employed aboard Russian warships… in communications systems’. Although the firm stated the charges were made by a disgruntled employee and that the company had no records of agreements involving Russian vessels, the complaint hinted to larger sales to Russian military companies.
MMZ Avangard develops a range of offensive missiles in addition to missiles for the S-400 system, many of which were utilised in Moscow’s recent missile strike on Ukrainian infrastructure, according to Reuters. Extreme acknowledged engaging in commerce with Russia after 2014 as permitted by American law, but not with MMZ Avangard, a company that has been under sanctions since since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
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