Russia imports Western electronic components used in the defense industry to circumvent sanctions. It is about the sale of chips and other electronic components through Armenia, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries.
American and European officials exchanged such data at the end of last month, writes The New York Times.
Trade restrictions make it much more difficult for Russia to obtain battlefield technology, much of which is developed by firms in the United States and allied countries.
Direct chip sales to Russia from the US and its allies have fallen to zero, but trade figures show that other countries have stepped in to help Russia.
After the invasion of Ukraine, chip imports to Russia fell sharply, but later began to rise again, especially from China. According to the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank, imports between October and January were 50% or more of their pre-war average each month.
One document with the seal of the US Bureau of Industry and Security states that in 2022 Armenia imported 515% more chips and processors from the US and 212% more from the European Union than in 2021. The document states that at that time Armenia exported 97% of the same products to Russia.
In another document, the Bureau of Industry and Security identified eight categories of chips and components critical to Russian weapons development that were found in one model of Russiaʼs Kh-101 cruise missile.
"This is an issue that we are focused on," noted a spokesman for the US Department of Commerce Matthew Axelrod.
- Last year, Russia significantly increased the import of chips, exceeding the pre-war level, an economist at the Institute of International Finance Elina Rybakova informed. The value of chip imports increased from $1.8 billion for January-September 2021 to $2.45 billion for the same period last year. In addition, the Russian Federation imported drones and components.