Taiwanese tech aids Russian bomb upgrades despite sanctions
An investigation by the InformNapalm group has revealed that Russian UMPK kits, used to convert regular bombs into guided glide bombs, incorporate components sourced from Taiwan. This discovery highlights yet another example of the failure of sanctions intended to cut Russia off from crucial supplies.
This time, the trail seems to lead to the Taiwanese company TRC, which appears to have been cooperating with the Russians for some time. During the investigation, it was found that initially only unmodified products from TRC’s catalog were sold. However, over time, the Taiwanese company began producing customized servo drives specifically for Russian requirements.
Russian bombs with components from Taiwan
The modifications were prompted by issues the Russians encountered when attacking Ukrainian positions, such as engines being unable to handle increased loads.
Documentation obtained during the investigation showed that in 2024, TRC made five changes to the servo drives sold to the Russians. These included manufacturing some components with higher-strength alloys and incorporating more powerful engines.
Another example of Russians circumventing sanctions
This is not the first instance indicating that Russians are adept at circumventing sanctions.
Previously, the InformNapalm community provided evidence of Kazakh companies, such as ARC Group and JSC Aircraft Repair Plant No. 405, which used components from French companies Thales and Safran for servicing Russian Su-30SMs. Additionally, The Insider's investigative portal found similar patterns in some Russian electronic warfare systems.
UMPK kits make Russian bombs significantly more dangerous
UMPK kits (Unified Planning and Correction Modules) are crucial for the Russians because they enable the transformation of regular bombs into guided glide bombs. These kits contain a head guidance section and a section containing control surfaces and deployable wings. This solution is seen as comparable to the American JDAM-ER conversion kit, although UMPK is generally considered less advanced.
Taiwan officially supports Ukraine and has joined the sanctions against Russia. However, these measures often prove ineffective, as shown by cases like the machine tools used in the Russian defense industry. For years, Moscow has been obtaining this type of equipment primarily from Japan, China, and Taiwan, even though Taiwanese authorities only implemented stricter controls and announced penalties for selling such tools to Russia at the end of 2024.
