Who is the US helping - Zelenskyy or Putin? Ukraine says Russian missiles made of US components

US-made components have been found in Russian missiles targeting Ukraine. The latest investigation points to dozens of American electronic parts inside an Iskander missile similar to the one that hit Ukraine’s government building, some manufactured after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This has sparked an unsettling question: is the US, unintentionally, aiding its adversary through leaked technology?

Ukraine found more than 30 foreign parts, including chips and sophisticated electronics produced by US firms such as Texas Instruments, Analog Devices, and Altera, alongside British, Japanese, and Swiss components. These parts ranged from old models to recent ones, some dated post-2022. Foreign electronics were also documented in Russian drones, notably the Geran-2/Shahed-136, with contributions from Iran, and others. The Iskander 9M727 missile itself failed to explode, but caused a fire by its fuel.

How is this happening?

Western nations responded to the invasion of Ukraine by imposing strict sanctions and export controls, aiming to prevent military technology from reaching Russia. However, Russia’s military-industrial complex has bypassed these measures. Smuggling operations, third-party countries such as China and Kazakhstan, and gray-market distributors have enabled Moscow to obtain restricted goods.


Even with companies like Infineon (Cypress Semiconductor), Texas Instruments, and others instituting bans and compliance programs, enforcement remains patchy, especially given the sheer number of chips manufactured every year, reported CNN. Most of these parts are ‘dual-use,’ destined for civilian electronics but repurposed for military applications.

Are sanctions working?

While US and European parts still appear in Russian missiles, Ukraine has observed a gradual shift: newer Russian and Belarusian electronics are replacing some of the previously smuggled Western components. Five of these components were produced in Belarus and 57 in Russia. These non-Western chips, though of lower quality, do not appear to compromise missile performance significantly. Still, Ukraine’s findings indicate that Western export controls, though disruptive, are not foolproof.

“There are fewer components from Europe and the US, and more from Russia and Belarus,” and the respective nations have been informed about the components “for sanctions response,” said Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukraine’s presidential commissioner for sanctions policy, CNN reported.

US arms for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has continued to secure significant US military support, especially in air defense capabilities such as the Patriot missile systems, to counter escalating Russian attacks across Ukraine. While nearly 60% of Ukraine's weapons are now domestically produced, US and European aid remain vital for filling strategic gaps and providing advanced technologies. Zelenskyy regularly coordinates with American officials to ensure uninterrupted arms shipments and to expand collaborative weapons manufacturing projects.

In parallel, a high-profile summit in August 2025 brought Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump together, their first one-on-one meeting since Trump’s reelection. The main focus of their talks was the ongoing war in Ukraine, with discussions revolving around possible ceasefire agreements, security guarantees, and territorial compromises. While the summit did not result in any binding resolutions, Trump signaled that the responsibility for ending the conflict might shift to Ukraine, and hinted at expectations for territorial concessions to Russia

Is the US ‘fighting itself’?

The reality is more complex than the headline suggests. Though the US is not directly arming Russia, but, the presence of American technology in Russian missiles highlights the global system’s vulnerabilities. Unintentional leakage of dual-use electronics through shadowy supply chains, poor oversight, and the high demand for consumer electronics enable adversaries to repurpose Western innovation for military aggression.

FAQs

Q: How do US parts end up in Russian missiles?
Through third-party nations, smuggling networks, and civilian-to-military repurposing, bypassing sanctions.

Q: Are these parts essential for Russian military capability?
Yes, particularly in precision guidance, communications, and logic—though Russia is adapting to rely less on Western parts over time.

Q: What are “dual-use” components?
Items required for civilian electronics, such as chips and sensors, that can also be used in military applications.

Q: Are Western sanctions completely ineffective?
No; they are slowing Russia’s progress and forcing substitutions, but cannot prevent all leakage through global supply chains.