The Russian division of Auchan supplied goods to the Ministry of Defense

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"Humanitarian aid" for the Ministry of Defense

In mid-March 2022, Natalia Zeltser, controller of Auchan, St. Petersburg, sent a letter to colleagues from five stores asking them to prepare and transfer the goods, and also attached a list of necessary things to it. It contained, for example, 900 pairs of size 40 or larger socks, over 1,000 T-shirts, as well as razors, matches, axes, nails, lighters, and 3,500 packs of cigarettes.

The heads of at least two companies, to which Auchan made out the purchase of these goods, confirmed to journalists that the “humanitarian aid” was sent to the Russian military. There were no products in these shipments that were intended for women or children. In addition, allegedly humanitarian aid included cigarettes, which are never included in it.

The Insider calculated that in March alone, the Russian Auchan donated more than two million rubles worth of goods to the military. Le Monde emphasizes that the leaders of the distribution network knew exactly where the aid was being sent.

“I immediately, from the first email, said that I would not approach this at all, and when they shipped the goods, I asked [Natalia] Zeltser where this “humanitarian aid” was going. She said, "Think for yourself." I began to insist: “And where to?” - and she replied: “For a special military operation.” And then she added: “Unfortunately,” said Alexei, the receiver of one of the Ashanov in St. Petersburg. It was he who provided the journalists with the internal correspondence of the company.

Auchan formalized this assistance as a purchase from 10 legal entities associated with the St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise Passazhiravtotrans. "Paszhiravtotrans" refers to the St. Petersburg Committee for Transport. Earlier, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Social Policy Alexander Lyubimov said that together with the Transport Committee they developed the logistics of supplies for the Ministry of Defense - they collected 280 tons of "humanitarian aid" from various organizations.

" Partner Support "

On the territory of the shopping center where Auchan is located, there were also collection points for “humanitarian aid for Donbass”. So, for example, it was in Samara and Rybinsk.

In Vladimir, the Russian division of the French corporation also participated in the collection of aid. Sergey Chubko works in this city - he runs the Close People NGO, which helps the Russian military. He signed one of his photographs with Auchan employee Alexei Sokolov as follows: “Enlisted the support of partners.”

Goods for the Russian military were purchased from another French company, Leroy Merlin. For example, a published video from Mariupol shows members of the Young Guard of United Russia unloading boxes with the company's logo. There are similar boxes on other videos from the occupied Ukrainian territories.

Workplace agendas

At the end of September, when mobilization was announced in Russia, Auchan handed over to the military registration and enlistment offices the data of its employees, which the company began to collect even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in January 2022.

According to The Insider, employees were handed subpoenas right at the workplace. If a person refused to take it, then he was acquainted with its contents in front of witnesses and an act was drawn up refusing to receive a summons: this is how companies are required to act by law.

Company " out of politics "

Auchan now has more than 230 stores in Russia, which bring the French company about 10% of its turnover, or about 3.2 billion euros a year. At Leroy Merlin, as of March 2022, the Russian market accounted for 18% of the total profit.

The Insider notes that, according to international law, only assistance to the civilian population can be called humanitarian aid in a situation of war, and support for one of the warring parties can lead to sanctions against Auchan.

The press service of the French "Auchan" reported that the company does not support the Russian military and is generally out of politics. The Russian office declined to comment.