KYIV, Ukraine — British-made microcomputers were among more than 100,000 foreign components found in Russian missiles and drones used in Sunday’s deadly strikes on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, renewing calls for tighter enforcement of sanctions against Moscow.
In a post on X, Zelensky said the microcomputers, used in drone flight control systems, originated in the United Kingdom and were part of a wider cache of imported parts discovered in Russian weapons.
He said the components also came from countries such as Germany, Japan, and the United States, all of which have sanctioned Russia since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“It is crucial to shut down every scheme that circumvents sanctions,” Zelensky wrote. “Our partners already possess detailed data on each company and each product still being used by Russia.”
The revelation comes after Russia launched 549 missiles and drones in overnight strikes, mainly targeting the western Lviv region.
One of the attacks killed four members of a family, including a 15-year-old girl, in the village of Lapaivka, Ukrainian officials said.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry will gather ambassadors from countries that can help. Help not only our resilience, but also in fact themselves – if certain countries cut off the blatantly reprehensible schemes of supplying Russia with critical components for the production of
UK Firms Under Scrutiny
The UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said it was stepping up efforts to prevent British products from entering Russia’s military supply chain.
“We take reports of goods from UK companies being found in Russian weaponry incredibly seriously,” a DBT spokesperson said in a statement.
The department said it had already banned exports of thousands of items to Russia, including “every battlefield item Ukraine has brought to our attention.”
The UK has imposed the most severe package of sanctions in its history, with over £20 billion ($26.9 billion) worth of trade with Russia now under restriction.
Companies or individuals found breaching sanctions could face heavy financial penalties or criminal prosecution, the department warned.
Sanctions Biting, but Loopholes Persist
Despite being the most-sanctioned country in the world, Russia has adapted its economy to stay afloat, diverting energy exports to China and India while ramping up military production.
However, cracks are beginning to show. In June, Russia’s Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov cautioned that the country’s economy was “on the brink of recession” amid mounting military expenses and restricted access to Western technology.
Zelensky’s remarks underscore a growing concern among Western allies that Russia continues to source critical components through third-party countries such as China, Taiwan, and the Netherlands, blunting the impact of sanctions designed to weaken its war effort.
