The type of Russian missile that destroyed one two days ago was based on Western-designed components children’s Hospital in Kiev, according to experts and Ukrainian authorities, further proof that the Kremlin has found a way to get around sanctions.
The missile was caught on camera just seconds before it hit the hospital on Monday.
Is about rocket Kh-101, one of the most advanced missiles cruise from Russia and particularly critical about Russia’s air strikes on Ukraine.
Russia is building nearly eight times as many Kh-101s ahead of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It still relies on parts from Western countries, especially the US.
“It is Western technology that allows them to build these more ‘smart’ missiles, which allow them to their terrorist attacks to bypass air defenses,” Olena Biliusova, head of Russian sanctions research at the KSE Institute in Kiev, told the FT.
Although Western sanctions have deprived Russia of many modern defense components, the defense sector has resorted to microprocessors and other advanced technologies not intended for military use.
Copying parts
An example is offered by the analysis of the Kh-101 missile launched last January: it was discovered that inside the missile there was 16 pieces of electronic components all western done.
Two of the components were manufactured by STMicroelectronics (based in Switzerland), while the rest were manufactured by US chipmakers including Texas Instruments, Analog Devices and Intel.
All products are primarily intended for civilian use and some of them are quite old.
According to the Financial Times, Russian companies in 2023 managed to acquire identical parts with those used in the Kh-101 in January, buying them on the open market and importing them through China.
More than 50 “foreign” components
In fact, although Russian documents state that the spare parts are manufactured by Western manufacturers, they were all listed as being made in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan or Thailand.
According to Ukrainian data provided to the FT, a complete Kh-101 missile can contain more than 50 different components of non-Russian manufacture.
Monday’s large-scale attack on infrastructure and commercial and residential buildings across Ukraine killed at least 43 civilians and injured more than 190 others.
Russia has denied attacking the hospital and claims, without evidence, that it was hit by a Ukrainian air defense system.