Russia's missiles and drones run on Western tech. Here's how it keeps getting the parts.

"The components found in downed Russian drones and cruise and ballistic missiles range from microcomputers and sensors to switching connectors and converters. Ukraine says they're coming from the US, UK, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan. Some of these nations are among Kyiv's closest partners. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over 100,000 foreign-made parts were found among the 550 Russian drones and missiles used in a large-scale bombardment, underscoring the scale of the problem."

"Cutting off the tap isn't that easy though. A Western-made microchip built for benign purposes could wind up in a Russian drone in a number of ways, such as through civilian sales, shady middlemen, or countries ignoring export rules. What might have started as a "dual-use" part for everyday tech may quietly become a key component in a weapon of war."

Thousands of foreign-made components continue to appear in downed Russian missiles and drones more than three and a half years into the war. Recovered parts include microcomputers, sensors, switching connectors, and converters sourced from countries including the US, UK, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan. Ukrainian officials reported over 100,000 foreign-made parts among 550 weapons in a single bombardment. Sanctions and export controls have been evaded through civilian sales, intermediaries, and states ignoring rules. Dual-use components intended for benign technology can be repurposed as critical elements in weapons, complicating interdiction efforts.

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