A new report from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) has revealed that more than 450 components produced abroad they were found in Russian weapons used in the Ukraine war, indicating that Moscow acquired technology from companies in the United States, Europe and Asia in the years leading up to the invasion.
The technical inspection carried out on some 27 missiles and other equipment captured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war indicates that, among the more than 450 components, 317 were purchased from companies based in the United States. It is followed by Japan and Taiwan, which were the source of 34 and 30 pieces. But there are also parts made in Europe, from the UK to Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The report gives an example of the various Russian weapons that were based on Western technology: a drone for identifying Ukrainian positions, for example, had a stabilizer produced by an American company, the control system was based on technology from a Swiss company, and the engine was supplied by a Japanese company.
“Russian weapons relying heavily on Western electronics have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians,” Jack Watling, a ground warfare expert at RUSI, told Reuters.
In the UK, for example, crystal oscillators produced in Somerset were found in Russian radar and missile systems. These oscillators make it possible to emit an electrical signal that can be used in computer chips and quartz clocks.
In 2014, as part of a package of sanctions against Moscow after the annexation of Crimea, the export to Russia of “dual-use” goods for military purposes was prohibited. However, a “loophole” that was not closed until the beginning of the war in Ukraine allowed European companies to continue sending material, as long as they ensured that this material would not be used for any military purpose.
In the case of the United Kingdom, the components in question were produced by Golledge Electronics, a company that in early March this year, after the invasion of Ukraine, said that it had closed its business in Russia. According to a company spokesperson, quoted by The Telegraph, Golledge Electronics follows all global export control laws and has “robust business processes to handle the supply of goods to Russia.”
“We have not shipped material to Russia since February 24, 2022. We are deeply concerned about this discovery and do not support any use of our components to violate human rights,” the spokesperson added.
According to the Royal United Services Institute, the companies that exported the parts should have had a responsibility to do more in-depth work to ensure that the parts were not sent to the Russian military or for military use.
The RUSI report also indicates that Russia, faced with the “degradation of military capacity”, has launched a “clandestine network” of spies to try to find spare parts for components that it can no longer access due to the sanctions applied. “The degradation of Russian military capability could become permanent if appropriate policies are implemented,” the institute said.
Source: Observadora
