EU could ban sale of components for drones and other weapons

A European Commission spokesperson suggested 'keeping a close eye on foreign operators that are re-exporting EU-sanctioned goods without the knowledge of the EU exporter'

Firefighters at a research institute, part of Ukraine's National Academy of Science, after a strike by drones in northwestern Kyiv in March 2022. Photo: Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images

Brussels has warned European companies and governments that it could ban the sale of certain components to Turkey and other countries from where Iran and Russia are sourcing parts for drones and other weapons striking Ukrainian cities.

The comments from the European Commission follow a leak to the Guardian of a 47-page document in which the Ukrainian government detailed the use of western technology and appealed for long-range missiles to attack drone production sites in Russia, Iran and Syria.

The Ukrainian paper, submitted to the G7 governments in August, claimed there had been 600 raids on cities using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) containing western technology in the previous three months.

Five European companies, including a Polish subsidiary of a British multinational, were named as the original manufacturers of the identified components. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the western companies whose parts were identified. 

“Iranian UAV production has adapted and mostly uses available commercial components, the supply of which is poorly or not controlled at all,” the paper said. Customs information was said to show that “almost all the imports to Iran originated from Turkey, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Costa Rica”.

A European Commission spokesperson said evidence that components were being sourced via such countries shows that EU sanctions are creating “significant pressure on their targets” but there needs to be tougher enforcement by member states.

He said: “This means keeping a close eye on foreign operators that are re-exporting EU-sanctioned goods without the knowledge of the EU exporter. For that scenario, we have sought the support of third countries’ authorities to make sure that goods exported from the EU to those countries do not reach Russia.

“The EU sanctions envoy, David O’Sullivan, is working closely with third-country jurisdictions to ensure that our sanctions are not circumvented.” 

People watch an apartment building damaged by a drone that was shot down during a Russian overnight strike on Kyiv in May 2023. Photo: AP/Andrew Kravchenko

The spokesperson said this initiative has shown some “first tangible results” and a “priority list of sanctioned battlefield goods” has been drawn up “to which businesses should apply particular due diligence and which third countries must not export to Russia”.

He added: “In some cases, however, these diplomatic efforts may prove to be insufficient, or there may simply not be any willingness to make them. If nothing else works then the only remaining option is to stop exporting to those third countries the very specific goods we are most concerned about, using the EU’s anti-circumvention tool. 

"This tool would allow the EU to prohibit the export of these goods to the countries which are used to circumvent our sanctions, and also to prohibit the provision of associated services.

“The 10th sanctions package included for the first time seven Iranian entities that have been using EU components and providing Russia with military Shahed drones to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. 

"This should act as a strong deterrent to other companies and international traders that circumvention of export restrictions will not be tolerated.”

Among the European-made items found in Shahed-131 and 136 drones used by Russia in Ukraine were fuel pumps, transistors, power management circuits and microprocessors.