ISW: Ineffective Sanctions Allowed Russia to Purchase UAV Components from the US
The ineffectiveness of Western sanctions against Iran and the Russian Federation allowed the Kremlin to purchase American components for the Shahed-131, Shahed 136 and Mohajer-6 UAVs. This is reported by the American Institute for the Study of War.
Analysts note that Russia and Iran are promoting plans to build an Iranian plant for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles in Russia. In May 2022, Iran opened such a plant in Tajikistan. Experts believe that the Kremlin can use its significant economic ties with Tajikistan through the CSTO and the EAEU to launder drone components or purchase manufactured UAVs for the war in Ukraine, bypassing international sanctions.
According to the British investigative group Conflict Armament Research ( CAR), 82% of Iranian Shahed-131, Shahed 136 and Mohajer-6 drones shot down in Ukraine had chips, semiconductors and other components from the United States. At the same time, the manufacturers themselves since the moment of the full-scale invasion denied the direct sale of these components to Russia, Iran or Belarus.
