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The Russian state nuclear company Rosatom uses a Dutch subsidiary to transfer hundreds of millions of euros in profits; in this way, Russia benefits from European dependence on Russian uranium during the war with Ukraine, the Dutch public broadcaster NOS has warned.
Some European countries remain dependent on Russian uranium and have so far not dared to impose sanctions on Rosatom. This company is the main producer of enriched uranium, holding a 35% share of the world market. According to the annual report, Rosatom paid over 3.1 billion euros in taxes in 2022.
According to NOS, Rosatom extracts uranium in Kazakhstan and Tanzania through its Dutch subsidiary. Revenues from these countries flow to the Netherlands and then are transferred to Russia. In 2022, the Dutch company made a profit of 222 million euros. Tens of millions of that amount were transferred to the Russian parent company.
The broadcaster reported that completely replacing Russia in the nuclear energy sector is not yet possible. “Russia is currently, for example, the only option for recycling spent uranium. Former Soviet power plants in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Finland are also dependent on Russian fuel rods,” it was explained.
According to research by the Norwegian environmental protection organization Bellona, the size of European imports of nuclear fuel from Russia doubled in 2023.
Russian uranium still reaches the Netherlands. In February this year, the Dutch Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ANVS) granted several permits for importing Russian nuclear fuel, destined for the company Urenco in the city of Almelo. (08.19.2024)