Haas Automation, the American machine tool company owned by F1 team owner Gene Haas, has strongly rejected claims that it broke U.S. sanctions on Russia.
Haas issued a statement in which it says that a report this week from American broadcaster PBS claiming that it had provided machines and parts to Russia in violation of US export control and sanctions regulations is "simply false, both in its overall impression and in many of its particular statements".
The PBS News Hour story alleges that Haas Automation – a partner of the Haas F1 team – made at least 18 shipments of precision machining tools to the Russian arms industry from March through October of last year.
Haas denied the allegations, insisting it was in full compliance with the US Government export control, adding that the 18 machines referenced in the story left the Haas factory prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The American company also chose to terminate its relationship with its sole Russian distributor Abamet Management, which was never required by any U.S. sanctions.
"If any shipments of Haas manufactured machines or components occurred after March 3, 2022, such shipments were made, unbeknownst to Haas, by Abamet or one of Haas’ numerous other customers around the world," the company stated.
"Any such shipments would have been made in direct contravention of express Haas policy with regard to Russia following its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
©Haas
"To be clear, Haas has unequivocally, and in many cases voluntarily, ceased doing business with Russian companies on all fronts.
"In addition to terminating its relationship with Abamet and prohibiting exports or re-exports of Haas products to Russia, Haas terminated, at a cost to itself of millions of dollars, a Russian company’s sponsorship of the Haas Formula 1 racing team.
"It is a bitter irony, therefore, that the PBS report paints Haas as being supportive of the Russian military, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
"At a time when Americans are struggling to develop the most effective course of conduct in support of Ukraine, it is irresponsible in the extreme for PBS to present this poorly-sourced hit piece, which ignores basic facts and asserts other facts that are clearly false."
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