Aside from two former ministers from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), there are also other people of influence holding positions at firms with Russian ties.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting pressure from the West, former LSAP ministers Etienne Schneider and Jeannot Krecké recently decided to step down from their board positions at East West United Bank and Sistema, respectively. However, there are also other influential people from Luxembourg who hold leading positions in firms with Russian ties.

Patrick Santer, current vice president of the State Council, and Jean-Claude Knebler, former ambassador to Russia, are both 'independent' directors at Sodrugestvo. Even though they are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the group, they still receive a salary for their services. Sodrugestvo is a diversified group, which, among other activities, manages port installations in Russia, Brazil, and Paraguay. They are further specialised in animal food.

Ten years ago, the company and its 1,500 employees relocated their headquarters from Denmark to the Gare district here in Luxembourg. When Sodrugestvo made the decision, then-Minster of the Economy Etienne Schneider made the announcement. At the time, Jean-Claude Knebler was sitting next to Schneider.

RTL

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