Russia's Shahed drones contain components from India
Photo: Russia's Shahed UAVs contain Indian details (Getty Images)
India is not only funding Russia's war against Ukraine through oil purchases. Indian companies are also helping manufacture strike drones, Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, reports.
"Unfortunately, we are finding Indian components in Russian strike drones. These are drones used on the front line and against civilians, in particular, Shahed/Geran," Yermak wrote.
The Head of the Presidential Office emphasized that Russia must be denied access to components from other countries to stop the killing of Ukrainians.
"Also, buying Russian energy resources means financing the war - it does not contribute to peace," Yermak added.
Indian components
Yermak shared a link to a Hindustan Times article, according to which Ukraine has officially raised with the Indian government and the EU the issue of discovering electronic components made or assembled by Indian firms in Iranian-manufactured drones used by the Russian Armed Forces.
According to the article, Vishay Intertechnology and Aura Semiconductor were involved in the production of Shahed-136 drones.
As the sources note, the Ukrainian side raised the issue through official diplomatic correspondence with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at least twice after these components were found in Shahed-136 drones starting last year.
Ukrainian diplomats also raised the issue with the EU sanctions Envoy David O'Sullivan during his visit to New Delhi in mid-July, the sources added on condition of anonymity.
O'Sullivan visited India last month to brief Indian officials on the latest EU sanctions package, which includes the Nayara Energy oil refinery, partly owned by Russian company Rosneft, and a ban on importing refined products made from Russian crude.
India and China became the main buyers of Russian oil after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This alone allows Moscow to maintain its war machine, receiving money to produce weapons.
Earlier, Donald Trump also promised to raise tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," the US President said.
