Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia continues to rely on foreign-made components, including from Western countries, to build weapons used in its war against Ukraine.

Zelenskyy’s remarks come as Russia intensifies drone and missile strikes across Ukraine. This week alone, Ukrainian officials report that at least 21 civilians were killed in Dnipro, 9 in Kyiv, and 2 in Odesa.

Speaking at the Fair Play conference, Zelenskyy said the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its military effort hinges on ongoing access to global trade networks and imported technology.

“Without those ties, this war simply wouldn’t exist,” Zelenskyy said. “Russian missiles and drones are made of dozens of critical components brought in from other countries through various schemes.”

Russian weapons built with foreign machinery

Zelenskyy said that over the past year, Russian military factories have received advanced machinery from 12 countries, including China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Türkiye, and the United States.

“Russia’s weapons production directly depends on access to modern machinery,” he said. “Even today, Western countries are still supplying Russia with critical components.”

He added that some supply contracts have already been signed through 2026.

Surge in dual-use goods to Russia’s neighbors

According to an investigation by Sky News, exports of dual-use goods — items with civilian and military applications — to Russia’s neighboring countries have risen by 9% over the past nine months compared to the same period from 2022 to mid-2023.

The volume of these exports is now 111% higher than pre-invasion levels.