Ukrainian intelligence exposes 35 firms — including AMD and Micron — supplying 63 of 140 critical components for Russia's upgraded Iskander-1000 ballistic missiles | Tech Radar
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AMD FPGA and Micron memory found in Russia's Iskander-1000 ballistic missile, Ukraine Intelligence claims — but stopping illegal trade is nearly impossible
Ukraine names 35 companies it says fuel Russia's missile program
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HUR identified 140 components linked to the upgraded Iskander missile system
American manufacturers supplied 63 of the missile's identified electronic components
Only one-quarter of all components came from Russian domestic manufacturers
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has released details about foreign-made parts it says were found inside Russia’s upgraded Iskander-1000 ballistic missile.
The disclosure said American companies, including Xilinx, part of AMD, Atmel, part of Micron Technology, DM&P Electronics, Winbond Electronics, and Analog Devices, supplied critical parts for the missile's guidance and processing systems.
The agency also identified 140 components linked to the missile and said only a limited share came from Russian manufacturers.
Foreign chips remain inside Russia’s upgraded missile system
The disclosure points to continued foreign technology use in a weapon system developed by Moscow despite efforts to reduce outside dependence.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, 35 companies are connected to the production network supporting Russia’s Iskander-M missile family.
Ukraine claims it found over 5,000 foreign-made components in over 200 Russian weapon systems, with missiles, drones, and armored vehicles particularly concerning
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The agency said the updated 9M723-2 variant, also called Iskander-1000, has appeared during recent attacks and forms part of the Bora-M missile system.
The newer missile version reportedly uses a larger engine and modified launcher design, allowing it to reach distances of up to 550km.
This compares with the 390km range attributed by Ukrainian intelligence to the earlier 9M723-1 missile model.
HUR stated that Russia continues to use imported electronic parts in key missile areas despite attempts to replace foreign technology with domestic alternatives.
The agency said only about one-quarter of the identified components were produced by Russian firms.
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The intelligence report lists 63 components linked to manufacturers from the United States, while Switzerland and Belarus each account for eight components.
Germany and Taiwan were each linked to four parts, while China supplied three components according to the information released by HUR.
“The most critical components—microprocessors, FPGAs, memory, digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters—come from American and Taiwanese manufacturers…” said Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence.
The missile’s guidance system was described as one of the areas with significant foreign dependence.
HUR claims only five of 43 parts inside a flight information processing unit connected to the missile’s laser gyroscope were Russian-made.
Sanctions face challenges as supply chains remain complex
The identified components include field programmable gate arrays, memory chips, microprocessors and conversion devices used for handling digital and analogue signals.
Such parts are common in many electronic systems, making their movement across global markets difficult to monitor completely.
Ukraine’s intelligence service has called for stronger restrictions against companies, organizations and facilities it believes are linked to Russia’s missile production network.
The agency said international cooperation would be necessary to limit access to important technologies.
However, controlling the movement of advanced electronic components remains difficult because many parts have civilian uses and can pass through several countries before reaching final users.
The presence of international suppliers does not alone establish whether companies directly supply military programs.
The report comes as Ukraine continues efforts to disrupt Russia’s missile operations through sanctions pressure and attacks against launch equipment.
Ukrainian officials have also reported strikes against Russian missile launch platforms before they could be used.
“To counter the aggressor’s plans, it is important to consolidate efforts aimed at restricting Russia’s program for the development, production, and modernization of ballistic weapons,” HUR said.
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Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master's and a Ph D in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking.
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