German Prosthetics Manufacturer: Ottobock's Million-Euro Business in Russia – These Details Raise Questions
One of Ottobock’s most successful markets is likely also its most controversial: Russia. “Business in roubles has contributed significantly to the group’s revenue growth,” quotes the “Wirtschaftswoche” from the company’s latest annual report.
In 2023, Ottobock subsidiaries in Russia achieved a profit of twelve million euros. Business in Putin’s empire, which has been invading Ukraine since 2022, is going well. And criticism? Company patriarch Hans Georg Näder consistently brushes it off: “These aren’t cannons, but humanitarian goods.”
For Ottobock, however, there is a red line: they do not do business with the Russian military. Näder’s company takes legal action against such allegations.
The prosthetics manufacturer responded to an earlier article in “Manager Magazin” with a cease-and-desist order, which Business Insider also received when reporting on the investigation.
Ottobock’s media lawyer wrote that it was forbidden “to create the suspicion that the Ottobock Group maintains business relationships with military organisations in Russia”. Company heiress Georgia Näder also emphasises: Ottobock supplies “only civilians”.
However, Business Insider has gathered extensive evidence suggesting that prostheses from Hans Georg Näder’s company have indeed ended up in the hands of Russian soldiers. Even Moscow’s propaganda war heroes have apparently received prostheses with Ottobock components and some have even returned to the front.
Russian orthopaedic clinics working for Putin’s military appear to be acting as intermediaries. Ottobock invited some of these clinics to a conference at a luxury hotel in October 2024.
Russian Documentary Shows War Heroes Receiving Ottobock Prostheses
The state broadcaster “Russia Today” released a war documentary in December 2022 titled “Marines: Strong in Spirit”. The protagonists were three Russian soldiers who had each lost a leg in Ukraine.
Several scenes in the documentary showed that the soldiers apparently received prostheses with Ottobock components. Two of the soldiers, who are now celebrated as war heroes in Russia, later served in the military again.
One of the protagonists: Soldier Anton Filimonov. He was involved in the months-long siege of Mariupol, during which over 25,000 people were killed according to Ukrainian figures. Filimonov lost his right leg.
In the documentary, he evidently received a prosthesis from Ottobock, kept himself physically fit, and visited a shooting range with his new prosthesis. He and the other two veterans “maintained their combat form on the training ground,” according to the report. The soldiers were apparently meant to return to duty as quickly as possible.
In February 2023 – after his prosthetic treatment – Filimonov was back on duty. According to Russian reports, the “legendary marine” even returned to the front.
But since receiving his prosthesis, Filimonov has become far more than an ordinary soldier. He is part of Putin’s propaganda machine and appeared at the “Defender of the Fatherland Day” at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium in 2023.
Another fighter is Vladislav Golovin. The commander was also involved in the brutal Russian attack on Mariupol and received Russia’s highest military honour, “Hero of the Russian Federation”, for his deployment. The leg he lost in Mariupol was replaced with prosthetic parts from Ottobock in the documentary.
Now Golovin also serves again in Moscow’s military. The war hero teaches Russian soldiers at a military academy, according to reports. War hero Golovin also plays an important role in Moscow’s propaganda apparatus and was allowed to sit directly next to President Putin during the parade for the 79th anniversary of victory in World War II.
The third marine in the documentary also received a prosthesis with Ottobock components. However, nothing is known about his career afterwards. But the three soldiers from the Russia Today documentary are far from the only members of the Russian military wearing Ottobock prostheses.
A video by Russian war blogger “War Gonzo” shows the commander of the 95th Rifle Regiment with the call sign “Sid”. The video was posted in June 2024 and supposedly shows Sid in the war zone. The commander says that he is back in action with his prosthesis – which is recognisably an Ottobock model.
In another report from May 2024, Sid and other Russian soldiers can be seen. “The fighters are currently holding the difficult Vuhledar direction,” the article states. Vuhledar is a strategically important city for Ukraine that was ultimately captured by Russian soldiers in October 2024.
With his prosthesis, Sid is now working to ensure that the Vuhledar region remains under Russian occupation as long as possible. For Ukrainian soldiers who he claims “terrorise the population”, he demands harsh penalties: “To be honest, deep down I hope for a new Nuremberg Tribunal.” At the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, war criminals from Nazi Germany were sometimes sentenced to death.
Business Insider asked how Ottobock evaluates the fact that soldiers with their prostheses are apparently back in action and engaging in Putin’s propaganda. In the course of the inquiry, Business Insider provided comprehensive documentation of the investigation. For Ottobock, this was apparently not enough.
“Overall, your sources – primarily Russian propaganda – are dubious,” company spokesperson Merle Florstedt replied. They also could not assess the specific cases of Filimonov, Golovin, and Sid “because we don’t know these individuals.”
Thus, Ottobock cannot judge whether soldiers “return to the front after a lengthy healing and care process.”
Yet the soldiers’ lives are well documented. Moreover, Ottobock could have verified the soldiers’ identities based on the research documentation provided.
Filimonov, Golovin, and Sid are very present on Telegram, appear in Russian media, and participate in public events.
Nevertheless, Ottobock wanted to explain how the video footage came about. It is “quite possible and not unusual” to find Ottobock prostheses in orthopaedic workshops and medical supply houses. After all, Ottobock supplies these as “business customers”.
However, these are only “individual joints, adapters, or liners,” says company spokesperson Florstedt. It is “possible” that these business customers then also supply Russian veterans. But this “is beyond both our specific knowledge and our control.”
The Role of Orthopaedic Clinics
Ottobock also emphasised in their response that they have no contracts with the military. But these aren’t needed for Putin’s military to ultimately finance the Ottobock prostheses.
The “business customers” mentioned by Ottobock are often orthopaedic clinics that function as a kind of intermediary. They work with Ottobock components and are simultaneously partners of the Russian military. Ottobock should actually be aware of this, at least this information is publicly accessible.
One example is the orthopaedic practice from the documentary “Marines: Strong in Spirit” that cared for Golovin and Filimonov. It’s called Limb Orto. Ibrahim Ibrahimov, also known by his nickname “Cyborg”, runs the Moscow practice. On his website, Ibrahimov prominently advertises Ottobock prostheses – and Ottobock confirms upon inquiry that Limb Orto is a business customer.
Yet it has been known since the Russia Today documentary – so since December 2022 – that Ibrahimov also supplies military personnel. This year, he is even considering opening new locations for Russian soldiers from the Ukraine war.
Ottobock spokesperson Florstedt had assured in 2023 that they would immediately terminate business relationships “should it turn out that customers in Russia are actually using or selling our products for military purposes”.
Ottobock Invited Military Partners to Luxury Conference
For other orthopaedic clinics, the connections to the Russian military are even more obvious. “Dynamics-Orto” for example. The clinic writes on its website: “The Dynamics prosthetics centre is a contract manufacturer for hospitals of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation”. This means: Dynamics manufactures prostheses for the Russian military.
Dynamics also trusts market leader Ottobock. In January 2025, Dynamics uploaded a promotional video featuring a new Ottobock knee joint type “3R80”. On its website, Dynamics also shows testimonials from soldiers who talk about their Ottobock prostheses while in uniform. The connection to the military is obvious.
Last year, Ottobock invited the heads of Dynamics to a multi-day conference. This apparently took place at the 5-star Novotel Krasnaya Polyana hotel, as photos from participants show.
There, they were meant to tell other prosthetics technicians about their experiences, as a Telegram post from the clinic shows. In the photo, you can see the contract manufacturers for the Russian military behind the Ottobock flag.
Is Dynamics an isolated case? Other conference participants also publicly post their support for the Ukraine invasion: One orthopaedic clinic has even donated drones for the front and claims to be an Ottobock partner.
Another medical professional named Max Proskurin posts photos in front of the luxury hotel on Instagram at the time of the conference: “We are invited”. Two months later, a post from the war zone, he had just given 250 Russian soldiers tactical medical training. “In a few days, these guys will be off on combat missions,” writes Proskurin.
But how can it be that a company like Ottobock apparently invites people like Proskurin and direct partners of the Russian military to its event? Ottobock merely explains that they do not work with Dynamics Orto. Instead of providing comprehensive answers about the luxury conference, the company says the investigation is based on Russian propaganda: “Overall, your sources – primarily Russian propaganda – are dubious. And the questions partly reveal a perspective based on moral concepts different from those our company has anchored in its values for over 100 years. All in all, your inquiry is irritating,” explains Ottobock spokesperson Merle Florstedt.
Ottobock Wants to Continue in Russia
“However, we only supply civilians and do not deliver to the military,” is how Ottobock heiress Georgia Näder described her company’s Russia policy in September 2024. And according to Ottobock, this statement continues to be “true and correct” and is also “not in contradiction” to Business Insider’s investigation.
Ottobock has reduced its presence in Russia from seven to four locations since the outbreak of the war. “The share of the Russian and Ukrainian markets accounts for only a single-digit percentage of total revenue.”
Nevertheless: Business in the rouble currency contributes to Ottobock’s revenue growth. Orthopaedic workshops like Limb Orto and Dynamics Orto are doing good business. They all benefit from the increasing need for prostheses due to the Ukraine war – and they rely on Ottobock products.
Giving up the Russia business? It would probably be a significant financial blow for Näder’s prosthetics manufacturer, which still sees no reason to do so: “For about 30 years, we have been providing care for people with mobility impairments in Russia and will continue to do so.”
This article first appeared in “Business Insider”.