Radioelectronic Technologies, a subsidiary of Rostec, buys microelectronics from China, the USA, Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Turkey through a chain of intermediaries for the production of weapons used in the war in Ukraine. The "Important Stories" publication writes about this in its investigation.
Through intermediaries, Rostec purchases the products of American companies Analog Devices, Xilinx, Texas Instruments, Microchip Technology, Bourns, Swiss ST Microelectronics, Japanese Murata, and German Infineon, which fall under export control.
This microelectronics is necessary for the Khibina radio-electronic countermeasures, which protects Russian aircraft from air defense systems, the Vitebsk, which protects helicopters, the Krasukha, as well as the SAP-518SM jamming complex. All of them are now actively used by the Russian army in Ukraine.
Journalists talk about the chain of intermediaries through which purchases are made. Electronics reach Russia via Hong Kong and Turkey. The family of the nephews of the former head of intelligence of the General Directorate of Security of Turkey, Atilla Aytek, is involved in the Turkish supplies.
Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014, sanctions have been imposed against Russian manufacturers of military equipment, which are regularly strengthened. However, in the samples of weapons that fall into the hands of experts, as before, components of Western production are found.
From March to October last year, at least $2.6 billion worth of electronics were imported into the country, according to a Reuters investigation. At least 777 million shipments are attributed to manufacturers whose parts have been found in Russian weapons.