In the Netherlands, construction equipment supplier Dieseko Group B.V. was fined nearly 1.8 million euros ($1.9 million) for its involvement in the illegal construction of the Crimean bridge, violating international trade sanctions.
From 2015 to 2016, the company sold equipment and provided technical support for the bridge project, despite EU sanctions imposed in 2014 against Russia over the occupation of Crimea.
The company pleaded guilty, paid the settlement, and pledged to avoid such violations in the future.
The settlement included a fine of 180,000 euros ($196,000) and then the seizure of 1.6 million euros ($1.7 million) in illegal gains.
The Honorary Consul of Ukraine in the Netherlands noted that seven Dutch companies participated in the bridge's construction.
The bridge, also called the Kerch Bridge, connects the Russian mainland with the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula, and has long been a crucial supply route for the Russian military in Ukraine.
Construction on the 19-kilometer-long bridge began after the illegal 2014 annexation and occupation of Crimea, and was completed in 2018.
Kateryna Hodunova
