US Senator urges chipmakers to help keep their chips out of Russian weapons
US Senator Richard Blumenthal (photo: Getty Images)
On Monday, February 27, during a special hearing, US Senator Richard Blumenthal called on American microchip manufacturers to avoid using their chips in Russian weapons. He noted that chips of American production continue to be found in the equipment of the enemy on the battlefield in Ukraine, according to Reuters.
Richard Blumenthal noted that companies should do everything possible to properly track their devices.
The subcommittee has requested documents from four microchip manufacturers. According to preliminary data, there is a significant increase in exports to countries that use Russia to evade sanctions.
He expressed concern about the following manufacturers:
- Advanced Micro Devices;
- Intel Corporation;
- Texas Instruments;
- Analog Devices.
According to him, they are not doing enough to prevent the use of their products in Russian military equipment. During the hearing, three witnesses shared how their organizations tracked the use of American chips in Russian weapons.
Economist Elina Ribakova notes that components are usually manufactured in China, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and they reach Russia through Turkiye, the UAE, and neighboring countries.
In turn, the companies responded to the allegations and stated that they are already actively working on tracking distributors and cooperating with global customs.
The US Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations held a special hearing on February 27. It focused on investigating how American microchips end up in Russian weapons and introducing additional measures to prevent Russia from using American technologies in the war against Ukraine.
The sanctions are aimed at preventing Russia from accessing the latest generations of chips, thereby depriving it of the ability to attack Ukraine with such weapons.
