The Russian Federation actively uses American microchips in the production of ballistic and cruise missiles, as these have not yet been fully replaced with Russian components. This was reported by Vladislav Vlasyuk, the Ukrainian President’s Representative on Sanctions Policy, who highlighted the importance of Western components for Russian weaponry.
According to Vlasyuk, Western microchips are critical for ensuring the missiles’ guidance accuracy and combat performance. This underscores Russia’s dependence on foreign technology, despite attempts at import substitution.
Throughout 2025, Russian companies attempted to switch to domestically produced microchips, but this experiment proved unsuccessful due to technical limitations and the low quality of Russian alternatives. In 2026, manufacturers once again began using American-made microchips on a large scale.
In addition to American microchips, components from other foreign manufacturers—particularly German companies—are also found during the dismantling of downed Russian weapons. This indicates the existence of an extensive network for circumventing sanctions through third countries.
Vlasyuk emphasized the need to take several key steps to effectively counter this phenomenon, including synchronizing international sanctions, stepping up law enforcement efforts, and exercising strict control over microelectronics supply chains.
