Russia’s Defense Ministry publishes list of European drone manufacturers, and a Kremlin official calls them potential military targets

Russia’s Defense Ministry on April 15 published lists of companies in multiple countries, including across Europe, that it claims are involved in producing strike drones for Ukraine.

A list titled “Branches of Ukrainian Companies in Europe” named 11 enterprises in cities including London, Munich, Riga, Vilnius, and Prague. A second list, “Foreign Enterprises Producing Components,” named 10 companies, some located in Madrid, Venice, and Haifa.

As one of Meduza’s readers noted, the Defense Ministry’s first list includes an address at Lerchenauer Strasse 28 in Munich — a location that turns out to be a residential building.

The ministry stated it published the lists because European citizens should not only understand the true causes of threats to their security, but also know the addresses and locations of “Ukrainian” and “joint” enterprises producing drones and components for Ukraine on their own soil.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, commented on the ministry’s statement in a post on X, calling it “a list of potential targets for the Russian armed forces.” He added: “When strikes become a reality depends on what comes next. Sleep well, European partners!”

Russia’s Defense Ministry issued its statement after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on April 14. Before the meeting, they were shown seven drone models produced at joint Ukrainian-German enterprises, Zelensky’s office reported. That same day, Germany and Ukraine agreed on a four-billion-euro defense package under which Germany would finance a contract for several hundred missiles for Patriot air defense systems.