Yet, the Free Russia Foundation suggests that the sanctions regime was only able to disrupt the access to Western technology in the short term, with Russia quickly establishing alternative routes. The Center for Strategic and International Studies reports that shortages of certain high-end components are causing the Russian Ministry of Defense to substitute them with lower-quality alternatives. The debate around whether sanctions have been effective so far is mixed. This is primarily possible due to lesser-known chip traders and shell companies which can evade US sanctions more easily than established distributors. An investigation found that since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, 75% of US microchips were supplied to Russia through Hong Kong or China, despite manufacturers claiming to have suspended all operations with Russia. A significant portion of the computer components used in Russian ballistic and cruise missiles are allegedly procured for non-military use in Russia’s space program, ROSCOSMOS, which has been utilized to acquire technology with both civilian and military applications.Ĭompanies worldwide, including those in the Czech Republic, Serbia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, India, and China, appear willing to take risks to meet Russian procurement demands. Russia has developed a system for concealing the original source of these items, often using third countries as intermediaries. Many of these components are subject to US export controls, yet Russia manages to obtain them, possibly through third-party intermediaries. Remarkably, about ten companies supply over 200 components, nearly half of the total. The London-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) estimates that over 450 foreign-made components are used in 27 different Russian equipment systems. These components, in some cases, are dual-use goods that are commercially available and challenging to control via export restrictions.
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