Russian missile production still relies on Western technology, despite sanctions. This is according to a Financial Times investigation.
The FT found that companies involved in making the new Oreshnik missile were looking for workers who knew how to use German and Japanese equipment. The Oreshnik is a powerful intermediate-range ballistic missile with multiple warheads.
Russian leaders have been talking about this weapon as if it’s some kind of superpower. They call it a “wunderwaffe”. But experts think that Putin might be using it to show that Russia is not giving up on its nuclear threats, even though they are losing credibility.
Two Russian companies, the Moscow Institute for Thermal Technology and Sozvezdie, were looking for workers with experience in Western metalworking systems. They specifically wanted people who knew how to use control systems made by Japan’s Fanuc and Germany’s Siemens and Heidenhain. These systems are important for making precise parts that go into missiles.
Even though Russia is trying to get these systems from China, the Chinese ones still rely on Western controllers. At a trade fair in 2024, most of the Chinese-made CNC devices being shown were using Japanese or German controllers.
The FT also found out that Russian companies have been importing components worth at least $3 million since early 2024. One shipment included a control unit from Heidenhain, which was delivered to a US-sanctioned Russian firm through China.