Media: Siemens to reshuffle staff following Crimea turbines scandal
Siemens management is discussing personnel changes in the company after the scandal resulting from power plant turbines being shipped to the annexed Crimea in circumvention of the sanctions, Handelsblatt reported with reference to sources in the German concern. The company considers itself the “victim” of the events.
According to the newspaper’s sources, several top managers are accusing the head of the Russian division, Dietrich Möller. They believe that he delayed the inspection of information on possible sanction violations.
The company also wants to tighten its control over the inspection of equipment shipments. The publication’s sources stress that Siemens is not prepared to risk its market reputation.
At the start of July it came to light that Siemens gas turbines had been shipped to the Crimea in circumvention of the sanctions. These turbines were originally purchased for Taman. In response to the shipment of turbines to the Crimea, Siemens stopped shipping power equipment to Russian companies.
Siemens has filed a lawsuit against three Russian companies – Technopromexport PLC, Technopromexport LLC and Siemens Gas Turbines Technologies LLC. Furthermore, the German concern has ceased collaboration with Russian state companies from the firm Interavtomatika (of which it previously owned 45.7% of the shares).
Wirtschaftswoche wrote that Russian President Vladimir Putin had given his personal assurance that the Siemens turbines would not enter the Crimea. The German Foreign Ministry admitted that the situation has caused relations between the two countries to deteriorate.