The Kiev Military Research Laboratory studies Russian weapons

In Kiev (Ukraine), debris from Russian missiles and drones that hit the country litter the floor of a military research laboratory courtyard. The director, Andrei Kulchevsky, spends his days dissecting these weapons. These experts analyze the evolution of the Russian modus operandi and the creation of these devices that sow terror in Ukrainian skies. Despite ten years of sanctions against Russia, experts continue to find foreign components in Russian weapons.

Russia will go abroad through companies

On the reconnaissance drone, which was dismantled in January and is expected to be produced in 2023, there is a French sensor. Its manufacturer, Linrad, blames Russian intermediaries and claims that the sensor was sold to a non-Russian customer. Chips intended for civilian use can be used for military purposes. According to the director of the Kyiv Military Research Laboratory, to avoid the ban, Russia uses companies based in China, Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan.

Among our sources

Oleh Nikolenko, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Andriy Kulchitsky, Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise

A study by the Yermak-McFall International Working Group on Russian Sanctions and the Kyiv School of Economics Institute

The Dauphin was freed

February 2, 2024 Response from Lynred via e-mail to questions from France television journalists: “After the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on the night of February 23-24, 2022, we immediately, on our own initiative, stopped all shipments to Russia and all contacts with our former customers and partners Russians.

The sale of our products is subject to strict regulations within the framework of export licenses, to ensure authorized end applications at national, European and international levels. This framework regulates both the types of products and the players we can sell to. We strictly comply with all applicable regulations regarding export controls, restrictions and embargoes.

We were selling this PICO-640 sensor to a non-Russian customer under a global dual-use export license issued for civilian end use. The end-use certificate has previously been signed by the non-Russian recipient, to guarantee civil end-use and re-export of the component to a third country under restrictions or embargoes.

The observed use in violation of the commitments made to LYNRED necessarily implies geographic and technological diversion. As soon as this violation was disclosed, we stopped making deliveries to this recipient with immediate effect and subsequently terminated all relations with this company.”

A non-exhaustive list.