The European Union has imposed sanctions on Irina Kharisova, chair of the board of directors of the ABS Electro group, and five companies in the group linked to the production of components for Russian attack drones. The decision followed Russian attacks on Kyiv overnight into July 1 and July 5, according to a press release from the Council of the EU.
The sanctions list includes VNIIIR JSC, ABS ZEIM Automation JSC, VNIIIR Hydro LLC, VNIIIR-Promelectro LLC and VNIIIR-Progress JSC. Kharisova chairs ABS Electro’s board and also heads several companies in the group.
According to the Council of the EU, the companies develop and produce electronic and radio-electronic components needed for drone operations. In particular, they are involved in creating systems that make Russia’s Geran drones more resistant to electronic warfare. Several companies in the group also produce automated control systems for Russia’s energy sector.
One of the sanctioned companies, VNIIIR-Progress, produces Kometa anti-jamming navigation modules, which are installed on Russian drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. The systems allow munitions to maintain satellite navigation even under conditions of electronic suppression.
In January 2025, The Insider found that key components of Kometa modules were assembled from inexpensive antennas made by the Irish company Taoglas and Taiwan’s Inpaq that had been supplied to Russia through intermediaries in circumvention of export restrictions. Such antennas are used in Geran drones, guided aerial bombs fitted with UMPK glide kits, and other Russian munitions.
VNIIIR-Progress had already been under EU sanctions as part of restrictions on the supply of military goods and technology to Russia. The new decision provides for the freezing of assets in the European Union belonging to the company and the other listed entities and individuals. It also bars EU citizens and organizations from providing them with money or other economic resources. Kharisova is banned from entering EU countries.
The Insider found that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kharisova regularly traveled to European countries. According to flight records, from 2015 to January 2020 she left Russia for foreign destinations at least 38 times, including 27 trips to Austria. Kharisova also traveled to Italy, Germany, Cyprus, Serbia, Croatia, and Israel.
In 2023 and 2024, 66 orders worth more than 19 million rubles were placed in Kharisova’s name at Moscow’s TsUM luxury department store, according to another data leak. The orders totaled 7.2 million rubles in 2023 and 11.8 million rubles in the first nine months of 2024. That means that in 2024, her orders averaged about 1.3 million rubles a month, nearly 15 times Russia’s average accrued salary at the time, which was 89,000 rubles. During the period of those purchases, Kharisova was already heading several structures in the ABS Electro group: since 2022, she had been president of the ABS Electro foundation and general director of AES JSC, and in April 2024 she became head of ABS Rus JSC.
The VNIIIR-Progress plant in Cheboksary has repeatedly been targeted in Ukrainian attacks. Ukrainian monitoring channels reported that FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles hit the plant overnight into May 5, sparking a fire on its grounds. Authorities in Chuvashia reported three injuries. Ukrainian drones had previously attacked the plant in June 2025, temporarily halting production.
