Russia Continues Using American Microchips in Missile Production, Ukrainian Envoy Says
Russia is still using American microchips and other foreign components in ballistic and cruise missiles because it has not succeeded in replacing them with domestically produced alternatives. Ukrainian presidential envoy Andrii Vlasiuk called for synchronized sanctions against Russian arms manufacturers and stronger law-enforcement action to stop microelectronics supplies to Russia.
Key points
- Russia returned to using American-manufactured microchips in 2026 after attempting in 2025 to replace them with domestically produced ones.
- American components remain important to the characteristics and accuracy of Russian missiles.
- Foreign-made components, including those from German companies, have been found in Russian missiles.
- On October 26, Ukraine’s intelligence agency published details on 30 pieces of foreign equipment used by Russian ballistic-missile plants and component manufacturers.
- Russia was reported to have up to 700 ballistic missiles and several thousand cruise missiles in reserve as of October.
- Russia’s defense-industrial complex was reported to be capable of producing more than 200 missiles per month, including 110 ballistic missiles.
Why it matters
Russia’s continued reliance on American microchips indicates that it has not achieved a full domestic replacement for key missile electronics. Foreign components can materially affect missile performance and accuracy, while the reported presence of such parts highlights gaps in controls over multinational supply chains reaching Russian arms production. Russia is also reported to have substantial missile reserves and an output capacity exceeding 200 missiles per month.
What happened
Russia has continued using American microchips in the production of ballistic and cruise missiles despite attempting in 2025 to substitute domestically made chips. It returned to American-manufactured chips in 2026, while American components remain important for missile characteristics and accuracy. Components from other foreign producers, including German companies, have also been identified in Russian missiles.
On October 26, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency published information on 30 pieces of technological equipment made in China, Germany, Taiwan, the United States, Turkey, Switzerland and Italy that are used at Russian plants producing ballistic missiles and related components. The disclosed items include altimeters, aerodynamic controls and gyroscopes. Chinese machine tools and machining centers are reportedly expanding within Russia’s defense-industrial base, including five-axis models, while Chinese equipment incorporates European, Japanese and Taiwanese components such as CNC systems, servo drives, high-precision spindles, bearings, measurement and rotary systems, linear guides, and thermal-stabilization and machining-control systems.
Presidential envoy Andrii Vlasiuk called for fully synchronized sanctions against Russian arms manufacturers and more active law-enforcement action to investigate and stop microelectronics deliveries to Russia.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting focuses on Russia’s continuing dependence on American and other foreign microelectronics, its failure to replace American chips domestically and the persistence of foreign components throughout Russian supply chains. The reporting links these components to missile accuracy and characteristics and emphasizes the need for synchronized sanctions, stronger law-enforcement action and tighter supply-chain controls. It also highlights Russia’s missile reserves, production capacity and newly disclosed foreign equipment used by Russian arms plants.
Background
Russia attempted in 2025 to replace American microchips with domestically produced ones but returned to American-manufactured chips in 2026. The newly disclosed foreign equipment and components come from manufacturers in China, Germany, Taiwan, the United States, Turkey, Switzerland and Italy. Chinese machine tools used in Russia’s defense-industrial base reportedly contain European, Japanese and Taiwanese components.