By Karen Freifeld
(Reuters) -U.S. semiconductor producers ought to do extra to maintain their chips from illegally making their method into tools utilized by the Russian navy, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal stated at a listening to on Tuesday.
Blumenthal’s feedback got here as studies confirmed U.S.-origin chips and different expertise proceed to be present in a variety of Russian tools on the battlefield in Ukraine, from drones and radios to missiles and armored autos.
His remarks have been geared toward U.S. chipmakers like Superior Micro Gadgets, Intel Corp, Texas Devices and Analog Gadgets, after studies of their merchandise in Russian tools or flowing to Russia, regardless of U.S. export controls.
The businesses “have the capability to hint and observe these elements properly sufficient to do one thing extra,” Blumenthal, chair of the Senate’s Everlasting Subcommittee on Investigations, stated on the listening to trying into how U.S. chipmakers are complying with export restrictions imposed after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The subcommittee has sought paperwork and data from the 4 chipmakers. Preliminary information reveals important will increase since 2021 in exports to nations that Russia could also be utilizing to evade controls, based on a memo by the committee majority employees.
Three witnesses who testified on the listening to described how their organizations have tracked using U.S. chips and elements in Russian weaponry.
“Russia acquires chips utilizing third-country distributors which may be recognized,” stated Damien Spleeters of Battle Armament Analysis, a UK-based group which discovered U.S.-origin components in Russian weapons.
Elina Ribakova of the Kyiv Faculty of Economics stated the elements are usually produced in locations like China, Malaysia and the Philippines, and attain Russia by way of Turkey, the UAE and nations bordering Russia.
Senator Ron Johnson, the rating member of the subcommittee, took the view that sanctions would at all times be evaded. “You plug one gap, one other gap goes to be opening up,” he stated.
Intel stated its contracts require prospects and distributors to adjust to laws, and that it really works to trace and mitigate potential distributor points.
AMD stated it “welcomes strengthening public/non-public partnerships to fight illicit product diversion.” It stated it takes motion when AMD merchandise are being diverted, and works with international customs and others to cease illegitimate shipments.
Texas Devices stated it invests “important time and assets” to maintain its chips “out of the fingers of unhealthy actors.”
Analog Gadgets stated it has taken “important and proactive measures to mitigate grey market dangers.” It stated it takes combating unauthorized diversion critically and works with regulation enforcement, authorities businesses and others to take acceptable motion.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; modifying by Chris Sanders, Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)
