An Irish factory supplying alumina to Russia could face EU penalties in the bloc’s upcoming sanctions package, underscoring Europe’s enduring dilemma in balancing industrial health with security priorities.
Owned by a Russian conglomerate, the Aughinish plant in Limerick sent 68% of its 2025 output to Moscow, where it potentially feeds into missile production, drawing the scrutiny of European regulators.
The European Commission has professed to design its sanctions to avoid harming Europe’s industries more than Russia’s, and Aughinish has argued that sanctions would force the plant to close, potentially eliminating 1,000 jobs, The Economist reported.
“It’s not going to close down Russia,” an Irish lawmaker told The New York Times. “It would close down Limerick.”