NEW DELHI, (REUTERS) – Artillery shells sold by Indian arms makers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine and New Delhi has not intervened to stop the trade despite protests from Moscow, according to 11 Indian and European government and defense industry officials, as well as a Reuters analysis of commercially available customs data.

India’s arms export regulations prohibit unauthorised transfers, but violations appear to have occurred as European nations like Italy and the Czech Republic purchased shells from India and supplied them to Ukraine.

Strikes on weapons arsenals are crucial to weaken Moscow’s overwhelming superiority in battlefield firepower, analysts said.

Ukrainian drones hit an ammunition depot inside Russia this week, the latest attack targeting military facilities deep within the country.