Western components in Russian missiles: A shocking example of sanctions evasion

The modern Russian cruise missile Kh-101, which destroyed a children's hospital in Kyiv on Monday, is based on Western components. Both experts and Ukrainian officials confirm this, illustrating the Kremlin's effectiveness in circumventing sanctions. The Kh-101, captured by a camera shortly before crashing into the cancer hospital, is considered one of Russia's most advanced cruise missiles and a critical element in the intensified air assault campaign against Ukraine. Since Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has produced almost eight times more Kh-101 missiles and continues to rely on parts from Western countries, particularly the USA. Olena Bilousova, head of the sanctions research team at the KSE Institute in Kyiv, stated: "Western technology enables them to build these smarter missiles, which allow their terror attacks to penetrate our beleaguered air defenses." Although sanctions have cut Russia off from some advanced components, the Kremlin's defense sector has turned to microprocessors and other advanced technologies that are not intended for military purposes. A Ukrainian analysis of a Kh-101 fired in January showed that 16 Western-made electronic components were installed in the missile. Two of the components came from STMicroelectronics, with the remainder from US chip manufacturers such as Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, and Intel. Financial analyses of Russian documents show that Russian companies in 2023 simply bought parts corresponding to those used in the Kh-101 on the open market and imported them via China. While the documents state that the parts originate from Western manufacturers, all were listed as manufactured in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, or Thailand. The recent attacks on infrastructure as well as commercial and residential buildings across Ukraine led to the deaths of at least 41 civilians and injured more than 190, according to authorities. However, Moscow denies having targeted the hospital and claims without evidence that Ukraine struck it with a Nasams air defense system provided by the USA and Norway. Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, stated that Russia only attacked "critical infrastructure and military targets" related to Ukraine's military potential. However, Pavel Luzin of Tufts University countered that Russian missiles almost always hit their intended targets. Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, blamed Ukraine for deliberately placing air defense systems in residential areas. Thus, the attack on the cancer hospital seems to have been a targeted strike aimed at terrorizing the population and undermining morale. The production of these missiles in Russia has increased nearly eightfold since 2021, highlighting effective sanctions circumvention, particularly through the use of civilian components. However, these components do not offer the usual military reliability, often resulting in a high failure rate of the missiles. It may seem ironic that Russia, despite limited technological supplies, remains dependent on Western electronic parts. President Volodymyr Zelensky will address this issue with Western leaders at the NATO summit in Washington.