Report: German body sees Siemens outrage hurting Russia relations

MOSCOW, Jul 24 (PRIME) -- A scandal surrounding supplies of turbines produced by German company Siemens to a Crimean power plant under construction can harm the Russia–Germany relations, Bild am Sonntag reported on Monday, citing a representative of the Federal Foreign Office.

Siemens said last week that all four turbines meant to be used on Russian power plant on the Taman Peninsula were illegally shipped to Crimea, which is why Siemens plans to cancel its licensing agreements to sell power equipment to Russian firms and to suspend the current agreements with state-run companies.

The official quoted by Bild am Sonntag said: “The federal government has once again reminded the Russian authorities about the obligations and has noted that such a large infringement of sanctions will put a burden on the German–Russian relations again.”

Spokesman for the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov earlier declined to comment on information that President Vladimir Putin guaranteed the absence of Siemens’s turbines in Crimea to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

CEO of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation Yury Slyusar said that he sees risks in the future cooperation with Siemens but the risks are hedged.

End