EU Sanctions Miss Key Suppliers of Chemicals Used in Russian Iskander Missiles
Uzbekistan plays a key role in supplying the chemicals needed to produce Russian Iskander missiles.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Forbes.
Russia continues to actively use Iskander ballistic missiles in the war against Ukraine, striking cities with minimal warning.
The Iskander-M is a short-range solid-fuel missile capable of overcoming defense systems, including Patriot, and striking populated areas, causing civilian casualties.
A key component of Iskander fuel is ammonium perchlorate, the production of which requires high-purity sodium chlorate. Russia is unable to produce this chemical in large quantities on its own.
Therefore, the country depends on imports — in 2024, China provided 61% of sodium chlorate supplies to Russia, and Uzbekistan — 39%.
The Uzbek plant Fargonaazot, controlled by the Singaporean corporation Indorama and owned by the Lohia family, which is linked to the Indian Mittal business, plays a special role in this supply chain.
In 2024, the plant supplied $11.4 million worth of sodium chlorate to Russia, and another $6.9 million in the first half of 2025.
Despite the fact that sodium chlorate is included in EU sanctions as a substance that supports Russia's industrial potential, large suppliers from third countries remain unsanctioned.
Olena Yurchenko, director of analysis and research at the Economic Security Council of Ukraine, emphasizes that critical vulnerabilities lie in three structural loopholes:
- not the entire supply chain of solid fuel precursors is covered by sanctions;
- suppliers from third countries, such as Uzbekistan and China, remain unrestricted;
- companies that actually supply materials to Russia and Russian importers are practically not subject to sanctions restrictions.
Yurchenko also notes that politically and economically, sanctions against Uzbek suppliers are easier to implement than against China, which is deeply integrated with EU markets. Therefore, the focus on Uzbekistan seems more realistic.
Uzbekistan is supplying not only chemicals essential for Russian missile production but also other dual‑use materials, helping Moscow bypass international sanctions.
Russia has built a new loophole by importing Uzbek cotton fiber, which can be chemically processed into nitrocellulose for gunpowder and solid rocket fuel, avoiding EU restrictions on cellulose. After controls tightened, Uzbekistan began reclassifying exports under different customs codes, enabling nearly $10 million in such supplies in 2024 and sustaining Russia’s ammunition production despite formal bans.
As The Gaze reported earlier, the European Union officially adopted its 19th package of sanctions against Russia, tightening restrictions across energy, finance, and high-tech sectors.
Read more on The Gaze: The EU’s 19th Sanctions Package: A Strategic Offensive Against the Kremlin’s War Machine