The Russian cruise missiles attacked by government buildings in central Kiev on Sunday were filled with dozens of foreign parts, including other electronic components made in the US, Ukrainian officials said.
The Iskander 9M727 missile that struck the building did not explode. This probably exploded as it was likely damaged by Ukraine’s air defense, the presidential commissioner of Ukraine’s sanctions policy.
Vlasiuk has released a photo of the damaged missile and a list of components previously discovered in the same missile.
This list includes 35 parts manufactured by American companies, including Texas Instruments, analog devices, and Altera, as well as components manufactured by Japanese, UK and Swiss companies.
The serial number indicates that some of these parts were manufactured a few years ago, but some are listed as recently created, including after the launch of Russia’s unprovoked Ukraine’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Many Western countries, including four listed on the list published by Vlasiuk, impose strict sanctions and export controls on such components to stop Russia from using them.
However, Moscow has found a way around these.
CNN contacted the companies listed by Vlasiuk for comments.
Infineon Technologies, a German company currently one of the US-based Cypress semiconductors, told CNN that it was one of the listed manufacturers and had taken “broad measures” to ensure that items do not end in Russia.
A spokesman for the company said Infineon Technologies has stopped all direct and indirect shipments to Russia and has the tools in place to ensure compliance between customers.
“(()If we get concrete evidence that the company we have a business relationship is trading with Russia, we will request delivery and clarification from the company in question,” the spokesman said.
However, the company produces around 30 billion chips each year, and a spokesman said “it’s difficult to control sales throughout the life of the product.”
Other companies listed by Vlasiuk did not answer CNN questions.
Texas Instruments stopped selling its products to Russia and Belarus in February 2022, stating that the chip shipment to Russia is illegal and fraudulent.
Vlasiuk said that although this particular missile still contained dozens of Western-made parts, it had fewer such components compared to missiles analyzed in the first half of the war.
“There are few components from Europe and the US, and few components from Russia and Belarus,” he said, adding that the Ukrainian government has notified allies of the parts found “for sanctions response.”
Most of the foreign components found in missiles are so-called double-use components. In other words, it was originally designed for civilian use, but can also be used for military purposes.
These include American chips made for use in household electronics, smart devices and gaming gadgets, and are reused with Russian guided bombs, missiles and drones.
Despite efforts by US companies to prevent Moscow from using its products, a survey by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee last year found that US-made components “continue to guide and strengthen Russian weapons that kill Ukrainians every day.”
The subcommittee said companies based in other countries, including China, Kazakhstan, and others, were able to purchase these parts and then sell them to Russia.
