The SKF factory located in Lutsk, Ukraine, became the target of a Russian missile attack on the night of August 14th. The aftermath of this devastating attack has left three employees dead and another four injured.

News of the incident reached SKF's factory site in Gothenburg, Sweden, where flags now fly at half-mast, as a mark of respect.

In a solemn tribute, a minute's silence was observed in honor of the fallen employees, who lost their lives in the Russian assault on the company's western Ukrainian factory. Four more employees remain hospitalized from the injuries they sustained.

Kenneth Carlsson, the Chairman of SKF's World Trade Union Council, emphasizes the centrality of employee well-being in this critical period, asserting, "There is nothing more important in this situation." 

Expressing his own profound dismay, he recounts how the news of the incident reached the factory floor in Gothenburg and emphasizes the interconnectedness of the global SKF family. "The first thing I did was find out that the colleagues who sit on our World Council were safe and sound," he shares, underlining the essential unity of the organization.

The attack has been heavily criticized in the Swedish press.

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SKF factory damaged in attack

SKF, a company with approximately 1100 employees in Ukraine, mainly stationed in Lutsk, specializes in the production of tapered roller bearings primarily for heavy vehicles. Despite its geographical distance from the active front lines, the factory in Lutsk continued its operations throughout the war.

Amidst the chaos and destruction caused by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the response from SKF's World Trade Union Council was one of support of its subsidiary in Ukraine.

Carlsson, having established close connections with employees at the sister factory, understands their shock and desire to return to work as a way of processing the tragedy. 

In a demonstration of solidarity, SKF's employees in Gothenburg rallied in the early days of the war in 2022, initiating a fundraiser to aid their colleagues. Supplies including food, hygiene items, and sleeping bags were gathered and sent to Ukraine, showcasing the compassion that transcends borders.

Amidst this most recent tragedy, political rhetoric emerged from the Russian Embassy in Sweden. In a dismissive and aggressive statement, the embassy justified the attack on SKF's Lutsk plant by labeling it a "legitimate military target."

 The narrative was woven into Moscow's broader propaganda narrative of targeting key enterprises linked to the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.

The statement from Moscow said "Don't see the connection? Then let's explain: this plant in Lutsk is part of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex; it produced bearings for Ukroboronprom [association of multi-product enterprises in various sectors of the defense industry of Ukraine - ed]. Of course, there is not a word about this fact in the Swedish press."