Russian weapons manufacturer found to be using German machinery for missile production

Russian weapons manufacturer Novator is using German machines in the production of intercontinental ballistic missiles, Novaya Gazeta Europe has discovered thanks to a job posting on the Russian recruiting website Headhunter.

The job posting in question references the use of lathes produced by German companies GDW and Weiler in the manufacture of guided missiles and missile complexes.

Based in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg, the Novator plant specialises in the production of anti-aircraft weapons, missile systems, and missiles. It has reportedly manufactured the Burevestnik, a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile that was tested by Russia at the end of October, since 2018, the same year the missile’s production was announced.

The company was sanctioned by the US in 2017, with the EU, UK, and Canada following suit in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

While Russia produces machinery with a similar function to the German equipment being used in the plant, GDW and Weiler’s lathes have a more user‑friendly digital interface and a wider range of functions and accessories.

Judging by other job postings, manufacturers like Novator have been moving towards import substitution, reducing reliance on imported machinery and requiring engineers to have, for example, software proficiency in domestic-built programs like Kompas, a Russian alternative AutoCAD.

Neither GDW nor Weiler has responded to Novaya Gazeta Europe’s request for comment so far.