Despite the war, the West continues to trade titanium with Russia, and Ukraine is among the suppliers - Trap Aggressor.

In the first seven months of 2024, Russia's titanium exports exceeded $120 million, with one-third of the shipments going to France. At the same time, Russian imports of titanium raw materials reached nearly $126 million, with 52% coming from China.

Source. This is stated in a study by Trap Aggressor.

Russia requires titanium because it is a key raw material for weapon production: the warheads of missiles are made from titanium ingots. The casing of the last compartment of the missile, which houses the solid-fuel engine, is also made from this metal.

In 2023, China had the largest total reserves of titanium minerals in the world. Following China, the top countries in mining include Mozambique, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and others. Ukraine also extracts significant amounts of rutile and ilmenite concentrates from titanium ores.

Russia possesses one of the largest titanium resource bases in the world, accounting for 14.5% of its global reserves. However, Russia's contribution to global titanium concentrate production is only 0.03%. Despite specializing in titanium production, Russia relies on imported raw materials due to the difficult geological conditions that make it challenging to develop its own deposits.

The company "VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation" produces 96% of all titanium sponge manufactured in Russia. Russia supplied alloys for one-third of the global aerospace sector. This dependence of Western countries on Russia prevents them from imposing sectoral sanctions against the import and export of Russian titanium.

One-third of all supplies from Russia were made to France. In addition to the countries mentioned in the table, titanium was also supplied to the UAE, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Singapore, and others.

According to customs data, from January to July 2024, Russia imported titanium and its products for almost the same amount as it exported – $125.8 million.

More than half of the titanium product supplies to Russia in 2024 came from China.

Among the producers that have entered Russia are Ukrainian ones as well. Customs data show 9 shipments worth $123,375. Of these, only two are significant. A shipment worth $29,000 was made to the Rostov-based company "Neo Cable," which manufactures cables as well as raw materials and components for their production. The founder and director of the company until April 2024 was Dmitry Oleksandrovich Pibaiev, a resident of the occupied city of Khartsyzk since 2014. The enterprise is located and registered in Rostov-on-Don.

The second shipment – titanium ingots – worth $94,272 was made to the Russian company "Dvina Splayresurs," which specializes in non-ferrous metals. The supplier was the Estonian logistics company Alus Grupp Ou on behalf of Farotex DWC-LLC, which is registered in Dubai, UAE. The company’s website states that Farotex has an office in Ukraine at the address: Kyiv, Hlybochytska St. 40u, office 19, and its partners include LLC "MC Antares" and JSC "Motor Sich." The product manufacturer is identified as the Ukrainian company LLC "MC Antares." Trap Aggressor's inquiry was ignored by the company.

The contact numbers for Farotex list Dobri Dobrev as the contact person. This Bulgarian, Dobrev Dobri Dimitrov, is a citizen of Ukraine. Dimitrov is listed among the founders of LLC "NIVKI CENTER" in Kyiv, along with former assistants to MPs Serhiy Kunitz and Serhiy Tryhubenko. He was previously a participant and beneficiary of the notorious "OPT MINUSIS TRADE 126," which was mentioned in journalistic investigations regarding schemes for embezzling funds in recreational areas on the Dnipro River and is connected to the Klitschko brothers.

As analysts from Trap Aggressor note, despite geopolitical tensions and the war in Ukraine, neither the West nor Russia is ready to sever titanium ties. Western countries cannot quickly replace Russian titanium supplies, especially for the aerospace sector, where Russia historically held a one-third market share. At the same time, Russia remains critically dependent on imported titanium raw materials, primarily from China.