with the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile / Photo: AFP
An analytical piece by the Financial Times demonstrates how Russia’s military-industrial complex remains dependent on Western technology despite sanctions. The Oreshnik missile used by Russia to strike Ukraine last month is manufactured using equipment developed in Germany and Japan, despite the Kremlin’s official claims of import substitution.
The study shows that leading Russian defence institutes, such as the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering (MITT) and Sozvezdie, are advertising vacancies for specialists familiar with Western metalworking systems such as FANUC, Siemens and Heidenhain. These technologies are critical for processing materials with the high precision required for the production of Oreshnik.
Critical dependence on CNC technology
Russia has long relied on imports of high-tech metalworking machinery. Although the Kremlin tries to buy equipment from China, most of these machines are equipped with Western-made controllers. In 2024, a leading exhibition in Russia showcased 12 models of Chinese CNC devices, but 11 of them were powered by Japanese or German-made systems.
According to Denys Hutyk, Executive Director of the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU), “the development of the Oreshnik demonstrates how much the Russian military-industrial complex still depends on Western high-quality technology. Stopping this flow should be a key priority for Kyiv’s allied governments.”
Sanctions are in place, but loopholes remain
According to the FT, although export controls have slowed down the supply of such technology to Russia, at least $3 million worth of goods, including Heidenhain components, entered the country in 2024. Some of these buyers, as it turned out, are directly related to military production.
Missile as a response to the West
Russia is positioning the Oreshnik as a response to the supply of long-range Western-made weapons to Ukraine. According to Putin, the missile, which is based on a modification of the nuclear RS-26 Rubizhne, can be used “today or tomorrow, if necessary”. However, its development once again confirms that without foreign technology, it is difficult for Russia to achieve its stated military ambitions.
Dependence on Western technology remains a weakness of the Kremlin’s military machine, and the resumption of strict control over the supply of CNC components is key to increasing sanctions pressure on Russia.
