Taiwanese components aid Russian weaponry 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 intended to cut off Russia from important supplies.
This time, the traces seemed to lead to the Taiwanese company TRC, which has likely been cooperating with the Russians for some time. During the investigation, it was discovered that initially, only unmodified products from TRC's catalogue were sold, but over time, the Taiwanese company began producing servo drives in a modified version on special order from the Russians.
Russian bombs with components from Taiwan
The modifications were made due to issues observed by the Russians while attacking Ukrainian positions (e.g., the engines couldn't handle the increased load).
Documentation obtained during the investigation showed that in 2024, TRC made five changes to the servo drives sold to the Russians. These involved making some components from higher-strength alloys and applying a more powerful engine.
Another example of Russians circumventing sanctions
This is not the first instance of Russians effectively dealing with sanctions.
Evidence of this was previously provided by the InformNapalm community, which exposed Kazakh companies ARC Group and JSC Aircraft Repair Plant No. 405 for using components from French companies Thales and Safran for servicing Russian Su-30SMs. The investigative portal The Insider determined that a similar situation also involves some Russian electronic warfare systems.
UMPK kits make Russian bombs significantly more dangerous
UMPK kits (Unified Planning and Correction Modules) are important for the Russians as they convert regular and guided glide bombs. They consist of a head guidance section and a section with control surfaces and deployable wings. This solution is equivalent to the American JDAM-ER conversion kit, although the UMPK is considered less advanced.
Taiwan is a country that officially supports Ukraine and has joined the sanctions against Russia. However, these sanctions often prove ineffective, as shown by the example of machine tools used in the Russian defence industry. Moscow has been sourcing this type of equipment primarily 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.
