Despite the bombing of civilian targets, the massacres in Bucha and Irpin, the destruction of Mariupol, and the European Union’s recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, some French companies continue to do business with Putin. Recently, Stand With Ukraine has focused on the case of TotalEnergies.
The company openly defends its presence in the country: while Russia has been waging war on its neighbor for 10 months and threatening the world with nuclear conflict, Total proudly claims to be undertaking “societal” actions in Russia in the fields of “sports and culture.”
Beyond these so-called “cultural and sports” justifications, why maintain operations there? Russia remains one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers, and TotalEnergies has been present in the country since 1991. In 2021, TotalEnergies generated 31.5% of its gas production in Russia, accounting for 11% of the company’s total revenue that year.
Following the Russian invasion, hundreds of international companies chose to leave the Russian market to avoid collaborating with Putin’s criminal regime. TotalEnergies, however, chose to stay.
This decision has consequences: in August, the NGO Global Witness revealed that French petroleum products from Total fueled the Russian aircraft that bombed the Mariupol theater during the March siege. While TotalEnergies’ rivals Shell and BP refused to endorse such actions, the company’s CEO, Patrick Pouyanné, defended the decision, claiming it was “for the well-being of Europeans.”
However, under the mobilization order declared by Putin on September 21, all companies operating in Russia are now required to support the Russian military draft and may even be forced to provide free assistance to the Russian army. By staying in Russia, TotalEnergies is not only helping to finance Putin’s war but may also end up directly supporting his military, becoming complicit in its crimes.
This is a disgrace for France and a humanitarian catastrophe!
