Ukraine’s agency adds Metro Cash & Carry to list of international war sponsors

This is reported on the NAPC’s website.

"While the entire civilized world is refusing to buy energy from the terrorist state, Metro Cash & Carry's management demonstrates that cooperation with Russia will not only continue, but will also intensify in the future," the statement said. 

It is reported that in addition to the retail business, the interests of Metro's management are associated with strategic sectors of the Russian economy, namely oil, gas, and banking. This affects the support of the war against Ukraine.

Journalistic investigations show that Daniel Křetínský, a key shareholder in Metro Cash & Carry, controls EP Infrastructure, which owns 49% of Eustream, the company that runs the gas transportation system that brings Russian gas to Central and Eastern Europe.

This is also evidenced by Metro's acceptance of Mir cards, a project of Sberbank, and the implementation of new projects in Russia, including the Fasol grocery store chain.

"Researchers of the company's activities in the Russian Federation also drew attention to Metro's participation in "ideological" Russian initiatives. For example, at the end of 2022, information was spread on the Internet that the German Metro chain in Russia was selling "Wagner sledgehammers". This is the same "Wagner attribute" that gained popularity in Russia after the publication of brutal videos about the alleged execution of PMC fighters who returned from Ukrainian captivity," the press service writes.

The NAPC emphasized that this is how the network demonstrates loyalty to Russia during its war in Ukraine.

The agency explained that it wants companies to be ashamed of cooperating with Russia and close their business there.

The companies included in the list of international sponsors of war are included in the World-Check database, a database of high-risk individuals and organizations. It is used around the world to identify and manage financial, regulatory and reputational risks. Therefore, inclusion in the database should affect the company's reputation.

• On February 23, the NAPC added the French Auchan corporation to the list of international sponsors of Russia's war in Ukraine.