TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Ukrainian analyst has accused a Taiwanese manufacturer of modifying and supplying components allegedly used to produce precision-guided bombs at the request of the Russian military.
Ukrainian analyst Vadim Labas shared documents online purporting to show that a Taiwanese company modified a servomechanism for the Russian military. The servomechanism, originally designed for automobile manufacturing, is reportedly used to deploy pop-out wings on modules attached to UMPK bombs, according to Ukrainian defense news site Militarnyi.
The company in question, identified as “TRC-Auto” or Rongcherng Suspenparts, is based in New Taipei and supplies suspension components to major car manufacturers worldwide.
One document uploaded by Labas details changes made to a “servo driver” product with the model number CP500-130-01-M. The modifications allegedly reinforced the device to handle the weight of the wing module after earlier versions were deemed too fragile.
Labas claims that Russia circumvented US and Taiwanese sanctions through an intermediary company based in Kazakhstan. Over the past year, TRC is alleged to have made five modifications to the product at the request of the Russian client.
In his social media post, Labas urged US and Taiwanese authorities to investigate the company’s dealings and prevent its components from reaching Russia. Labas is a member of Oberig, a Ukrainian intelligence-gathering network, according to NPR.
Russia’s precision-guided bombs are considered a key component of its strategic advantage in the ongoing war with Ukraine, according to UA Wire. Ukrainian forces hope to curtail the production of these munitions.
As of publication, neither Rongcherng Suspenparts nor the Taiwanese government has commented on the allegations.