Russia Ramps Up Iskander Missile Production With Chinese-Made Machinery

Russia has significantly increased production of Iskander missiles, aided by the import of critical machinery from China, Taiwan, and Belarus through intermediary firms, according to an investigation by the Kyiv Independent.

In 2024 alone, more than 700 Iskander missiles were manufactured — nearly three times the previous year’s output. The uptick is largely attributed to the delivery of CNC metal-cutting machines, vital for missile component production.

The Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, which assembles various types of missiles, led the expansion.

Journalists discovered that since 2023, the facility has been receiving new production equipment despite Western sanctions banning such exports to Russia.

Russian firms, including Ural Machine Tool Company and Kaurus Alliance, facilitated the shipments. Of the ten identified supply contracts, eight were sourced from mainland China. Additional shipments came from Taiwan and Belarus.

At the same time, the plant increased its capacity, building two new workshops and expanding its workforce by approximately 2,500 employees.

The ramp-up in production coincides with intensified Russian missile strikes on Ukraine. In 2024, Russia conducted 245 Iskander missile strikes—4.5 times more than in 2023. As of mid-2025, Ukraine has recorded 180 additional strikes.

The Iskander system includes both the ballistic Iskander-M and the cruise missile Iskander-K. Despite increased output, Ukrainian forces have managed to target these systems; in early June, Ukrainian forces and the Security Service of Ukraine struck a Russian Iskander launch platform in Russia’s Bryansk region.