Russia ramps up glide-bomb output, exposing gaps in Western sanctions regime
Russia is dramatically increasing production of guided glide bombs, signalling no intent to scale back its war in Ukraine, and relying on large servo-drive purchases from largely unsanctioned suppliers.
According to a new analysis by the Center for Defense Reforms, Russia is scaling up its glide-bomb programme, indicating that Moscow does not plan to curb its offensive in Ukraine. In 2025, the central procurement firm TRV-Engineering JSC secured almost 278,000 servo drives, sufficient to assemble about 139,000 precision-guided munitions. The study identifies CED Sail LLC as the main Russian supplier of these drives, which currently escapes Western sanctions and should be targeted.
A broader supply chain involving Russian companies and four Chinese firms, notably Shenzhen Fire Power Control Technology Limited, provides foreign components from the United States, Japan, China, Switzerland and Taiwan. Only eight of the twenty firms linked to the glide-bomb kits are subject to any sanctions, creating an uneven restriction that lets Russia continue production. The expanded glide-bomb stockpile supports Russian fighter-bomber attacks from within Russian airspace, as seen in recent strikes on Zaporizhzhia that killed civilians, and underscores the need for tighter export controls.
Why it matters
The surge in glide-bomb production lets Russia sustain high-intensity attacks, highlighting weaknesses in sanctions that could prolong the Ukraine conflict.
In this story
