Western Sanctions Against Russia's Military Have a Critical Weak Link

On May 24, 2026, European ambassadors inspected fragments from Russian missiles and drones that had struck Kyiv overnight—and found foreign-made parts inside. The discovery signals that Western export controls meant to starve Russia's defense industry are leaking. Intermediary countries and transshipment networks appear to be channeling critical components around sanctions. If true, current measures may not degrade Russian military capacity as intended.