New KSE Institute analysis revealed that Russian military equipment uses chips from Western countries, despite these nations implementing sanctions and export controls to cut Russia’s access to their semiconductors.
According to a CNBC report, the Kyiv-based think tank identified over 1,000 foreign-made components in 58 Russian military weapons, vehicles and other equipment recovered in Ukraine and found that most of the parts are Western semiconductor technologies covered by export controls. The analysis noted that two-thirds of the components are products of U.S.-based companies, while the others come from Japan, Germany and other Ukrainian allies.
A separate study from the Royal United Services Institute has similar findings, revealing that many of the parts of Russian cruise missiles, communications systems and electronic warfare capabilities are manufactured by U.S. companies supplying microelectronics to the U.S. military.
Chips are vital to the development of military equipment, including missiles, drones and armored vehicles. The widespread use and diverse applications of these U.S.-made technologies have resulted in their integration within global supply chains, rendering them more challenging to regulate.
Analysts said Russia can also evade semiconductor-related sanctions and export controls through convoluted trade routes linking Moscow with China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.