September 23, 2024
Linus Höller
n an investigative piece for Defense News, CNS research assistant Linus Höller uncovers a Russian attack drone maker that has so far managed to avoid sanctions by Western governments. CNS Program Director for the Export Control and Nonproliferation Program offers his interpretation of some of the findings. Using open-source tools, trade records and Russian government documents, the article paints a picture of a startup drone manufacturer that serves as an example of Russia’s efforts to fuel its war in Ukraine and indigenize its high-tech needs — and the challenges it faces with both.
Read the full article on DefenseNews.
The following is an excerpt from DefenseNews.
BERLIN — A Russian startup drone manufacturer has cashed in on the exploding demand for unmanned aerial vehicles spurred by the war in Ukraine, selling over 1,000 drones while working to avoid Western sanctions, according to documents reviewed by Defense News.
Integrated Robotics Technologies, located in southeastern Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic, is an example of how Russian companies have switched to a wartime economy orchestrated by Moscow to prosecute the invasion of Ukraine.
IRT is not named in sanctions by Western governments despite touting its lineup of surveillance and attack drones in its advertising materials, a marked switch from a marketing strategy previously aimed at the agricultural and energy markets. A presentation by the Bashkirian government, seen by Defense News, shows that in 2023 alone, IRT produced more than 1,000 UAVs.
Continue reading at DefenseNews.
