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German-Made Chips Power Russian Shahed Drones, Investigation Finds
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Electronic components manufactured in Germany are still being found in Russian drones used to attack Ukraine, despite EU sanctions introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion.
According to Deutsche Welle on February 13, German-made transistors and other parts have been identified in several versions of the “Geran” drone series—the Russian designation for Iranian-designed Shahed UAVs.
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The outlet reported that the issue resurfaced in January 2026 during the analysis of a new Russian jet-powered drone, the Geran-5. Ukrainian military intelligence later published details on its War&Sanctions portal, documenting foreign-made components recovered from dismantled Russian weapons systems.
According to data cited by Deutsche Welle from Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), 137 components manufactured in Germany have been recorded in Russian military equipment. More than half of them were found in drones, with the remainder identified in missiles, radar systems, military vehicles, and helicopters.
The most common German components are transistors—around 50 different types. Other parts include pumps, inductors, generators, capacitors, transformers, and batteries.
According to Deutsche Welle, the Bavarian semiconductor company Infineon Technologies accounts for 58 of the 137 German-made components documented by HUR, most of them transistors used in UAVs.
Additional parts were traced to EPCOS AG (now TDK Electronics), Würth Elektronik, and Pierburg, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall. In the Geran-2 drone, investigators found three Pierburg pumps. Bosch components—including a push-button switch and a fuel pump—were also identified in certain UAV models.
Ukrainian intelligence estimates that each Geran-series drone contains between eight and twelve German-made transistors in its onboard control system. HUR previously stated that Russia planned to produce 40,000 Geran-2 drones in 2025. Based on these figures, nearly half a million German-made transistors could have been required for one year of production alone.
A HUR representative told Deutsche Welle that Russian manufacturers do not remove original markings from the components, indicating large-scale and systematic use.
“Infineon transistors are used in a wide range of household appliances and general-purpose goods, so, apparently, there are no problems purchasing them in the required quantities,” the representative said.
Ukrainian intelligence also noted that while Russia has reduced reliance on US components—reportedly replacing some of them with Chinese alternatives—German transistors continue to be widely used due to their availability and reliability.
According to Deutsche Welle, HUR believes that many of the German-made transistors are purchased directly in Germany through intermediary companies designed to obscure supply chains. From there, components are routed either through third countries or via smuggling channels into Russia.
However, German sanctions expert Professor Viktor Winkler offered a different assessment. According to Deutsche Welle, he said that after 2022, deliveries increasingly bypass third countries and instead involve direct criminal intermediaries operating inside Germany.
“My assumption is that this is not about a third country or indirect supply routes, but rather about an extremely criminal direct connection, where offenders supply components from other companies to Russia. Similar cases have always been characterized by pre-planned, long-term business ties with Russia,” Winkler told Deutsche Welle.
Earlier, a joint investigation by Frontelligence Insight and the analytical group Dallas, published on February 9, found that Russia’s expansion of artillery production at Plant No. 9 in Yekaterinburg relies heavily on high-precision industrial machinery sourced from Western Europe and Taiwan.
The report states that despite sanctions, “nearly all critical stages of manufacturing at Plant No. 9… still rely on high-precision industrial equipment from Europe and East Asia,” highlighting continued dependence on foreign technology for key weapons systems.
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