American and European companies continue to manufacture microchips supporting the Russian GLONASS navigation system. And Russia procures these to target missiles and drones over Ukraine. The press service of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported this.
The Directorate named these companies. They are US Linx Technologies, Broadcom, Qualcomm, Telit, Maxim Integrated, TRIMBLE, Cavli Wireless, Swiss U-blox AG and STMicroelectronics, Canadian Sierra Wireless and NovAtel, as well as Belgian Septentrio and British Antenova.
Microchips are used in Orlan-10 and Shahed-136 drones, Tornado-S and Smerch anti-aircraft missiles, Iskander, Kalibr and Kinzhal missiles, and in X-101, X -555, Kh-38, Kh-59MK, Kh-31 aircraft and cruise missiles.
Export and manufacturers’ control proved ineffective, as Russia constantly finds new ways to circumvent sanctions and purchase the required technology. It buys the said through numerous shell companies and distributors.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence believes that foreign companies should realise the direct impact of their products on Russia's defence capabilities, stop producing chips supporting the GLONASS system, and remove this navigation system support from all their devices.
“Without foreign-made chips supporting the GLONASS system, Russians will have to build their own microelectronics from scratch,” Ukrainska Pravda quoted the Main Directorate of Intelligence.