Russia still managed to obtain $1.7 billion worth of computer chips from the US and Europe last year despite the ongoing trade sanctions on the country.
Classified Russian documents suggest that half of the advanced semi-conductors used by the country in the first half of 2023 were manufactured in US and European countries, Bloomberg reported.
Many of the chips that were illegally obtained were from Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Analog Devices, Infineon, STMicroelectronics, and NXP Semiconductors.
The obtained documents did not reveal who exported the banned products to Russia.
The New York Times earlier reported that the country was running a network of smugglers worldwide to bring the technology for the development of advanced weapons.
China, Russia Still Imports from the US Amid Ban
Russia is not the only country that was still able to illegally import technologies, particularly semi-conductors, from the US amid restrictions.
China has earlier been reported to continue selling new NVIDIA chips despite the US government ordering the chip manufacturer to stop selling certain
Among the banned chips were its advanced AI hardware that can be used for automated weapon systems.
With the increasing tension between the three superpower countries, the White House has increased its stock of advanced weaponry in response to the perceived threat.
Are the Trade Sanctions on Russia Effective?
Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, the country has suffered trade sanctions and import bans from many allied countries for fear that
Despite the ban, Russia has been reported to still obtain critical technology through various loopholes in the system.
It is true, however, that the country's economic growth has stunted since the sanctions were implemented as the war inches on its second year.
Commodities within the country have surged as inflation continues to wreck across its populace.
It is worth noting that most illegal imports made were for the government's defenses and weaponry, not for its people.
