The head of the world's largest titanium producer says Russia's latest ‘counter-sanctions’ were drafted by ‘saboteurs’

The majority shareholder of VSMPO-AVISMA, the world's largest titanium producer, says the State Duma’s plans for new “counter-sanctions” against the West were written by “saboteurs.” Mikhail Shelkov told the magazine RBC that his only question about the lawmakers who drafted the counter-sanctions is whether they’re acting as saboteurs knowingly or unknowingly. The draft law, Shelkov says, “needs further development and reflection.”

VSMPO-AVISMA exports more than 70 percent of its product, and its clients include the corporations Boeing and Airbus. The State Duma’s counter-sanctions would allow the Russian government to halt cooperation in the aircraft industry and ban the export of titanium. Lawmakers are expected to vote on a first reading of the draft legislation in mid-May.

Andrey Isayev, the first deputy head of United Russia, says the State Duma’s counter-sanctions would impose criminal penalties on individuals and steep fines on businesses in Russia that observe sanctions enacted by the United States. “From our perspective, this activity is criminal, and therefore no sanctions imposed by the U.S. Congress or U.S. president will operate on Russian soil within Russian jurisdiction,” Isayev told the news agency RIA Novosti.

On April 24, a committee in the Federation Council largely endorsed the State Duma’s proposed counter-sanctions options, though the senators are asking that the bill be amended to spare all “reasonably priced, vitally necessary” American pharmaceuticals from a potential boycott.