Bosch components were installed in Russian army vehicles.

This was confirmed by the world's largest auto parts supplier on Monday.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had previously raised similar allegations.

Gustave parts

Business correspondent in Stuttgart.

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"A few days ago, our army picked up Russian infantry vehicles - and we looked inside one of these vehicles and saw that one of the main components that powers the vehicle was actually supplied by Bosch," Kuleba said on the show on Sunday night "Anne Will".

For years, Bosch has supplied the components necessary for the Russian military machine to enable these vehicles to invade Ukraine and destroy our cities.

"A part of our production"

The automotive supplier is just one example.

He discussed a number of other cases with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) in which German companies had made products available to Russia that were now being used militarily.

Germany as a whole "helped to build up the current power of Russia" and operated "large-scale defense cooperation with Russia".

Bosch has now confirmed that components from the group have been installed.

The allegations came from the media and they are in contact with the Ukrainian ministry.

The component was "not supplied by Bosch to the vehicle manufacturer," the company affirmed in the statement.

However, it is “a part from our production”.

Close ties to Russia

Bosch did not explain exactly how the parts ended up in the military vehicles.

The engine and transmission components for trucks would be used all over the world.

"For the supply of Russian automotive customers, the local contracts stipulate that Bosch products may only be used for civilian applications."

Apparently, at least one Bosch customer did not stick to that.

A spokeswoman would not say who the customers are.

According to its own statements, the group develops, manufactures and sells “no weapons” and no systems and components that can only be used for military purposes.

Before Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the automotive industry in Baden-Württemberg had close ties to Russia.

Daimler Truck, the world's largest truck manufacturer, as well as Bosch competitor ZF Friedrichshafen, cooperated with Kamaz, a manufacturer of trucks, buses and tanks.

Daimler Truck and ZF Friedrichshafen have put the cooperation on hold and emphasize that it was of a purely civilian nature.

The car company Mercedes has also put its Russian business on hold, but still has a 15 percent stake in Kamaz.

The stake is to be transferred to Daimler Truck, which was recently spun off from Mercedes.