THE IRISH know a few things about resisting an imperialist(帝国主义的) neighbour, so it is not surprising that they back European efforts(支持欧洲的努力) to defend Ukraine against Russia. With no significant armed forces or military industry, the country’s aid to Ukraine consists chiefly of a modest bit of financial help and support for European Union sanctions. Yet on the latter count, there is a big caveat(警告；附加条件). Aughinish Alumina, a refinery in the west of Ireland, supplies a significant portion of the alumina(氧化铝) used by Russia’s aluminium industry. The skins of missiles striking civilians in Kyiv this autumn and winter may be part Irish.(今秋和今冬击中基辅平民的导弹外壳，可能有一部分是爱尔兰造的。)
爱尔兰人对于抵抗一个帝国主义邻国颇有心得，因此他们支持欧洲防御俄罗斯、保卫乌克兰的努力，并不令人意外。由于没有像样的武装力量或军事工业，爱尔兰对乌克兰的援助主要是有限的经济帮助以及对欧盟制裁的支持。然而在后一点上，存在一个很大的隐忧。位于爱尔兰西部的奥吉尼什氧化铝精炼厂，为俄罗斯铝业提供了相当大一部分氧化铝。今秋和今冬击中基辅平民的导弹外壳，可能有一部分是爱尔兰造的。
The role of Aughinish Alumina in Russia’s arms industry was detailed in March in an investigation by OCCRP, an investigative outfit(机构；组织), and the Irish Times, a daily. The plant exports alumina (aluminium oxide), the chemical compound used to produce aluminium, to Russian smelter(冶炼厂)s. But as Europe’s largest alumina refinery, it also ships to manufacturers in France, the Netherlands and Sweden. The firm has never been subjected to the EU’s sanctions on Russia. Some member states want it included in a new round of sanctions due to be negotiated in October. Aughinish’s defenders argue that doing so would cripple(重创；使瘫痪) Europe’s aluminium sector, but they are wrong.
奥吉尼什氧化铝在俄罗斯军工产业中所扮演的角色，今年三月由调查机构“有组织犯罪与腐败报道项目”（OCCRP）和日报《爱尔兰时报》的一项调查详细披露。该厂向俄罗斯冶炼厂出口氧化铝（即铝的氧化物），这是生产铝所用的化合物。但作为欧洲最大的氧化铝精炼厂，它也向法国、荷兰和瑞典的制造商供货。该公司从未受到欧盟对俄制裁的约束。一些成员国希望将其列入定于十月谈判的新一轮制裁。奥吉尼什的辩护者称，这样做会重创欧洲铝业，但他们错了。
Aughinish is owned by Rusal, a Russian metals conglomerate(企业集团). Its sales to Russia have surge(激增)d since the full-scale invasion(全面入侵) of Ukraine in 2022, going from 24% of its exports in 2021 to 68% in 2025. The alumina travels to Rusal’s smelters in Siberia, which sell the finished aluminium to customers such as ASK, a Moscow-based trader. ASK in turn supplies over 100 Russian defence companies, which use it to build missiles, tanks, bombers and other weapons. ASK’s aluminium has gone to factories that make gyroscopes for Kh-101 cruise missiles, engines for Sukhoi fighter jets and the Iskander-M ballistic missile.(ASK的铝已流入为Kh-101巡航导弹生产陀螺仪、为苏霍伊战斗机生产发动机以及生产“伊斯坎德尔-M”弹道导弹的工厂。) A few dozen of these firms are under EU sanctions.
奥吉尼什由俄罗斯金属集团俄铝（Rusal）所有。自2022年俄罗斯全面入侵乌克兰以来，该公司对俄销售激增，从2021年占其出口的24%升至2025年的68%。这些氧化铝运往俄铝位于西伯利亚的冶炼厂，后者再将成品铝卖给总部位于莫斯科的贸易商ASK等客户。ASK则向100多家俄罗斯国防企业供货，这些企业用铝制造导弹、坦克、轰炸机及其他武器。ASK的铝已流入为Kh-101巡航导弹生产陀螺仪、为苏霍伊战斗机生产发动机以及生产“伊斯坎德尔-M”弹道导弹的工厂。其中数十家企业正受到欧盟制裁。
