Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said that Russia was using a network of suppliers to evade international sanctions designed to prevent it from making missiles and other weapons.
In a video address, Zelensky said unnamed countries and companies were helping Russia acquire technology with the emphasis on producing missiles. Russia has launched hundreds of missiles against Ukrainian targets since last October.
“Unfortunately, the terrorist state manages to use the technologies of the world through a network of suppliers, manages to bypass international sanctions,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine, Zelensky added, was well aware of all of Russia’s efforts to evade sanctions and will seek to ensure that “there are no products of the free world in Russian missiles”.
In April, a senior Zelensky aide said Ukrainian forces were finding a growing number of components from China in Russian weapons used in Ukraine as Western supplies are squeezed by sanctions. China has denied sending military equipment to Russia.
