U.S. Sanctions Take Aim at Russia’s Lancet Kamikaze Drones for First Time

Sanctions brought by the U.S. State, Commerce, and Treasury departments target companies producing loitering munitions used by Russia against Ukraine.

Jack Daleo

Monday, November 06, 2023 at 04:37 PM ET

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Zala Aero, producer of the Lancet suicide drone, is a target of the latest U.S. sanctions against Russia. [Courtesy: Zala Aero]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. government has imposed its first direct sanctions on Zala Aero, the Russian manufacturer of the highly effective Lancet kamikaze drone, along with its international supply network.
These sanctions, implemented by the State, Commerce, and Treasury departments, aim to disrupt Russia's ability to procure critical U.S.-origin components from third-party suppliers (e.g., in UAE, China, Turkey) for Lancet production.
The Lancet has significantly enhanced Russia's offensive capabilities in Ukraine, making it a priority target for sanctions, which experts believe could notably hinder Russia's production capacity despite Moscow's dismissals.

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The U.S. government has taken aim at a prolific Russian suicide drone for the first time.

Last week, the U.S. State, Commerce, and Treasury departments brought an array of sanctions against Russian entities and individuals, including Zala Aero, the manufacturer of the Lancet kamikaze drone that is being deployed by the Russian military against Ukraine. The sanctions target Zala and several firms in Russia and abroad thought to be supplying Moscow with uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) technology.