Yesterday at 18:47
The Oreshnik ballistic missile, launched by Russia against Ukraine in November 2024, was produced by Russian companies that still depend on advanced Western equipment.
That’s according to an analysis by the Financial Times, Ukrinform reports.
Two leading Russian weapons engineering institutes — the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology and Sozvezdiye Concern — have been identified by Ukrainian intelligence as developers of the Oreshnik missile. Both organizations have been seeking employees experienced in using metalworking systems from German and Japanese manufacturers.
This reliance highlights the Kremlin’s ongoing dependence on foreign technologies, particularly in areas like computer numerical control (CNC), a critical technology for producing the Oreshnik.
The Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, which plays a key role in developing Russian solid-fuel ballistic missiles, announced in 2024 that it uses CNC systems from Fanuc, Siemens, and Heidenhain. These manufacturers — Fanuc from Japan and Siemens and Heidenhain from Germany — are leaders in high-precision CNC technology.
The three Western companies are mentioned in Sozvezdie’s advertisements, which list “automated control systems and communication systems” for military use as one of its specializations. The advert requires “knowledge of CNC systems – Fanuc, Siemens, Heidenhain [sic]”.
