In 2023, Russian authorities imported Western-produced computer chips worth over $502 million, independent media outlet Verstka reports.
Verstka’s journalists used classified customs statistics to calculate the amount of sanctioned goods imported into Russia in the first six months of 2023. The list included products from both the defence industry and the civilian sector.
Verstka claims that dual-use chips, which can be used to produce missiles, continue to flow into Russia without any hindrance. Over the past six months, Russian authorities have cleared goods from the following US companies — Analog Devices Inc. (over $98 million), Xilinx (over $75 million), Microchip Technology (over $42 million), and Texas Instruments (no less than $38 million), as well as over $28 million worth of products from Infineon, Germany’s largest semiconductor manufacturer.
Russia also imported over $11 million worth of Marvell products as well as Cypress Semiconductor (over $3.8 million) and Atmel (over $2.7 million).
The key re-export hubs are China, Hong Kong, Turkey, and the UAE. Former Soviet countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Uzbekistan — also play a significant role, while Italy, Germany, and Estonia provide exports directly from the EU.
