Hundreds of thousands of German-made components are being used in Russian drones and weapons systems, with investigators pointing to complex international supply chains that allow parts to reach Russia despite sanctions imposed after its war in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has identified at least 137 components of German origin in Russian military equipment, including drones, missiles and armoured vehicles. Many of these parts are considered essential for the operation of systems such as the Geran series of drones, which have been widely deployed in attacks.

Among the most frequently identified components are transistors produced by Infineon Technologies. The company said it condemns the war and has halted all direct and indirect deliveries to Russia since 2022, adding that it enforces strict controls and contractual clauses prohibiting resale to sanctioned destinations.

Other components, including fuel pumps, have been linked to Bosch, which also said it has ceased business with Russia. The company noted that some items found in drones could be counterfeit or standard products originally sold for civilian use, making their final destination difficult to track.

The findings highlight how dual-use goods, which can serve both civilian and military purposes, are vulnerable to diversion. Experts say these components often travel through intermediaries in third countries before reaching Russia. Transit hubs such as China and Turkey have been cited in investigations, alongside trading firms that obscure the origin and end use of goods.

A reported case involved a sensor produced by Austrian firm ams-OSRAM that was shipped to a company in Hong Kong and later transferred onward. Despite contractual restrictions, the component was eventually discovered in a Russian drone.

Analysts say Russia’s ability to produce drones such as the Shahed-type systems on a large scale relies heavily on these imported components. The Institute for Science and International Security reported that Russia launched more than 6,400 such drones in March 2026 alone, a record monthly figure.

Manufacturers argue that monitoring supply chains beyond initial sales is extremely difficult due to the global scale of distribution networks. Rheinmetall said it learned from authorities that some of its automotive components had reached Russia without its knowledge, stressing that it complies with all sanctions and cooperates with investigations.

Sanctions experts warn that enforcement gaps remain. According to advocacy group B4Ukraine, current European Union export controls often focus on individual companies rather than broader networks of intermediaries, allowing circumvention to persist.

The group has called for tighter rules, including lower thresholds for requiring export licences when there is suspicion of military use, and mandatory due diligence checks by exporters. It also recommends expanding oversight to industries considered strategically sensitive, such as electronics and mechanical engineering.

Despite sweeping sanctions imposed by the European Union, investigators say Western technology continues to appear in Russian weapons, underscoring the challenges of policing global supply chains in a highly interconnected economy.