The largest alumina plant in the European Union, the sprawling Aughinish plant has been under Russian ownership since 2006, when it was bought by Rusal – a firm controlled at the time by Oleg Deripaska, a close associate of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Irish ministers have always maintained that, despite being owned by a Russian company that ships large amounts of alumina to that country, Aughinish does not supply Moscow’s war effort. The aluminium is bought by dozens of arms companies that make weapons for Russia’s war in Ukraine, including tanks, cruise missiles and bombers. Aughinish says the alumina it produces is a basic commodity that is “vital for countless civilian industries”. If you have a confidential news tip to share with us, this page explains how you can get in touch.

Source: The Irish Times March 29, 2026 09:50 UTC