Photo: ZN
The company appears undeterred by the war in Ukraine and the risks to Europe.
Evidence suggests that cellulose acetate produced by the European company Cerdia was purchased by a Russian plant involved in missile production through intermediaries in the tobacco industry. This is reported by StateWatch, citing an analysis by its chairman Oleksandr Liemenov and investigative journalist Inna Popovych in an article for ZN.UA titled “Swiss Quality of Russian Gunpowder: Who Supplies Components for Russian Missiles.”
One of Russia’s key missile manufacturers is OKB Novator, part of the Almaz-Antey concern, which produces cruise missiles including the 3M-54 “Kalibr.”
An important role in its production chain is played by the Perm Powder Plant, which supplies rocket fuel.
A letter from OKB Novator to the Perm Powder Plant regarding the execution of a state defense order for these missiles indicates the need to use foreign-made products due to the lack of Russian equivalents — including cellulose acetate.
“Cellulose acetate appears both in customs data and in internal company contracts. In particular, at least 30 tonnes of this substance were purchased from the European manufacturer Cerdia,” the report states.
Cerdia is one of the global leaders in the production of cellulose acetate for cigarette filters, with facilities in Europe, the United States, and Asia. The company’s website still mentions its presence in Russia.
A letter from Cerdia regarding the supply of cellulose acetate in flake form — a base raw material for further processing — was also found in the database of the Perm Powder Plant.
“Although, according to official operational documents, the Perm Powder Plant has a full technological cycle for producing rocket fuel, the documents indicate the plant’s dependence on imported chemicals. In particular, this concerns cellulose derivatives purchased from Cerdia due to the absence of Russian alternatives,” the authors conclude.
