Taiwan tech found in Russian bombs despite sanctions
An investigation conducted by the InformNapalm group revealed that the Russian UMPK kits, which convert regular bombs into guided glide bombs, use components sourced from Taiwan. This is yet another recent example of the ineffective sanctions that were intended to sever Russia's access to crucial supplies.
This time, the evidence seemed to point to the Taiwanese company TRC, which has most likely been collaborating with the Russians for some time. During the investigation, it was discovered that initially, only unmodified products from TRC's range were sold. However, over time, the Taiwanese company began producing servo drives in a modified version specifically ordered by the Russians.
Russian bombs with components from Taiwan
The modifications were prompted by issues the Russians observed while targeting Ukrainian positions (e.g., the engines couldn't manage increased load levels).
Documentation obtained during the investigation revealed that in 2024, TRC made five alterations to the servo drives sold to the Russians. These changes chiefly involved crafting certain components from higher-strength alloys and installing a more powerful engine.
Another example of Russians circumventing sanctions
This is not the first indication that Russians are effectively navigating sanctions.
Previous evidence provided by the InformNapalm community exposed, among others, Kazakh companies ARC Group and JSC Aircraft Repair Plant No. 405, which used components from French companies Thales and Safran for maintaining Russian Su-30SMs. The investigative portal The Insider determined that a similar situation also pertains to some Russian electronic warfare systems.
UMPK kits make Russian bombs significantly more dangerous
UMPK kits (Unified Planning and Correction Modules) are vitally important for the Russians as they enable the conversion of standard bombs into guided glide bombs. They comprise a head guidance section and a section containing control surfaces and deployable wings. This setup is equivalent to the American JDAM-ER conversion kit (although UMPK is regarded as less advanced).
Taiwan is a nation that officially supports Ukraine and has joined the sanctions against Russia. However, these measures are often ineffective. This is exemplified by machine tools used in the Russian defence industry. Moscow has been procuring this type of equipment mainly from Japan, China, and Taiwan for years, although Taiwanese authorities only introduced stricter controls and announced penalties for selling machine tools to Russia at the end of 2024.
