Russia is exploiting a network of front companies, influence agents, and third-country logistics routes to obtain German-made components needed for its attack drones and missiles, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) said in a new report by the Kyiv Post.

HUR recently showed samples of the components to journalists from Deutsche Welle as evidence the parts are still reaching Russia despite Western restrictions, the Kyiv Post reported. The agency said a single Russian Shahed-type attack drone contains between eight and 12 transistors produced by Germany’s Infineon Technologies. 

Based on Russia’s stated plan to produce up to 40,000 combat drones annually, HUR estimates that demand for the German transistors could reach roughly 500,000 units a year, according to the report. 

Germany is a leading backer of Ukraine and supports sanctions on Russia but remains a priority target for Russian intelligence services, HUR believes. The intelligence agency has accused Moscow of exploiting long-standing influence networks and “shadow lobbyists” in Germany’s business and political circles to organize illegal supply chains, the Kyiv Post reported. 

While some Shahed-136 variants were comprised primarily of U.S.-sourced components in 2023, and some Russian drones are largely made up from China-sourced components today, Russia’s military is likely to continue to use German transistors because they are high quality and easily obtained through household appliances and general-purpose products, according to the report. 

HUR called for stronger export controls and tighter European coordination to detect and block the procurement routes, the newspaper said. 

Read more at the Kyiv Post