A network of companies in Hong Kong has funneled components made by major European manufacturers worth over €90 million into Russia's military war machine in Ukraine, despite international sanctions. These technologies include parts from STMicroelectronics, NXP, and Infineon Technologies, found in drones and missiles. The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) exposed how intermediaries in Hong Kong facilitate the illicit trade, exploiting weak enforcement and targeting single entities rather than broader supply networks. The EU's sanction mechanisms and Western allies have so far failed to effectively block these critical component flows, undermining efforts to weaken Russia's war capabilities.

A network of companies in Hong Kong has funneled components made by major European manufacturers worth over €90 million into Russia's military war machine in Ukraine, despite international sanctions. These technologies include parts from STMicroelectronics, NXP, and Infineon Technologies, found in drones and missiles. The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (CFHK) exposed how intermediaries in Hong Kong facilitate the illicit trade, exploiting weak enforcement and targeting single entities rather than broader supply networks. The EU's sanction mechanisms and Western allies have so far failed to effectively block these critical component flows, undermining efforts to weaken Russia's war capabilities.