According to a March 2025 study by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU), ammonium perchlorate constitutes up to 52% of the solid propellant used in the Iskander-M system. Its production requires sodium chlorate, a chemical that Russia does not produce domestically in sufficient quantities.
In 2024, available trade data shows that all recorded sodium chlorate imports to Russia came from just two countries:
- 70% from China (supplied by companies including Longshore Hubei New Materials, Mingda Chemical, Qingdao Longshore Chemical, Hunan Hengguang Technology, and Tianjin Jiumao International Trade)
- 29% from Uzbekistan (via Fargonaazot JSC and Uzkimyoimpeks)
Notably, sodium chlorate is not listed in part B of Annex VII to Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, and none of the Russian, Chinese, or Uzbek companies involved in these transactions are currently sanctioned by the EU.
Full details of the analysis and policy recommendations can be found in the attached file.
