Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says Western parts found in Russian drones, missiles

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, claims that parts are stuffed into Russian drones and missiles that Russia has fired at his nation.

Zelenskyy claimed in a social media post on Monday that tens of thousands of components from businesses in the United States, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and China were contained in the hundreds of weapons used in Russian attacks over the past two nights.

According to him, “about 1,500 were in Iskanders, 192 in Kinzhal missiles, and 405 in Kalibrs,” “nearly 100, 688 of foreign-made parts were in the launched attack drones.”

He made the accusation in response to Ukraine’s and some of its European partners’ demands for stricter sanctions and stricter oversight to close trade gaps created by Russia’s invasion of its neighboring nation in February 2022.

Due to the significant contribution that US and UK companies have made to mobilizing military and financial support for Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invading forces, Zelenskyy’s inclusion was noteworthy.

According to the Ukrainian president, US companies produce converters for missiles from Shahed-type drones and Shahed-type drones, sensors for unmanned aerial vehicles and Kinzhal missiles, and microelectronics for missiles. He added that British businesses make microcomputers for controlling drones.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is putting new sanctions on those who aid Russia in its war. Additionally, detailed information on each business and product has been provided to Ukraine’s partners.

Before a meeting of the G7 sanctions coordinators, a body that oversees sanctions regimes among the group of the world’s wealthiest nations, Zelenskyy demanded more robust measures. He has long called on nations around the world to stop Russia’s war machine from funding and equipping.

Ukrainian intelligence official Oleh Alexandrov claimed over the weekend that Kyiv has proof that China has been assisting Moscow in identifying targets in Ukraine. He claimed that “there is evidence of a high level of cooperation between Russia and China in conducting satellite reconnaissance of the Ukrainian territory to identify and further explore strategic objects for targeting.”

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, said Russia has “own capabilities, including space capabilities, to accomplish all the tasks the special military operation poses.” He denied relying on China’s satellites.

As a number of European nations have been experiencing a wave of suspicious drone activity, Zelenskyy made his statement.

Unmanned aerial vehicles have been spotted over military installations and slowed down air traffic. Russia has been blasted by some governments and given the impression that Moscow is testing NATO’s air defenses.

Vladimir Putin has mocked nations accusing Moscow of being behind the drone attacks, and Russia has denied responsibility.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who claimed his country assumes Russia is the source of the activity, made the remarks on Monday that the Kremlin labeled as “baseless.”