The microchips of the Dutch companies NXP and Nexperia, despite the sanctions, end up in Russia. The electronics of these manufacturers is used for the manufacture of Russian weapons.
Samples of NXP and Nexperia products were found in a Russian howitzer, a cruise missile, an attack helicopter, and a Shahed-136 kamikaze drone. In general, according to the Royal United Services Institute (the British Royal Institute for Defense and Security Research), 10 of the 27 Russian weapons systems that they studied found NXP chips.
The supply of Muscovites from the Netherlands through Chinese intermediaries is reported in a journalistic investigation by NOS and Nieuwsuur. The material claims that there is a clear scheme when a small group of Chinese companies buy chips in the Netherlands and then export them to Russia.
These chips are mainly produced by large manufacturers, in particular NXP and Nexperia. NXP chips were recently found in a dismantled Russian armored howitzer, cruise missile and attack helicopter.
Also, chips from NXP and Nexperia were found in Russian drones, and the NXP chip was found in an Iranian kamikaze drone. Journalists from NOS and Nieuwsuur gained access to trade data and researched how European technology gets to Russian manufacturers.
The investigation notes that there is a clear picture of how a small group of Chinese companies receive chips from the Netherlands and export them to Russia. At the same time, one of the companies re-exporting chips is included in the US sanctions list.
Representatives of manufacturing companies emphasize that they comply with the rules and sanctions and do not do business with Russia. Their clients are also not allowed to sell chips to Russia.
Both multinationals say they have no answer as to how fraudulent brokers still manage to buy their products.
NXP clients are carefully screened. The company claims it goes beyond legal obligations to comply with the sanctions. It is unclear what exactly this means or whether the company will take action against a group of Chinese intermediaries.
Nexperia insists that its export control team use the latest software to monitor our distribution. If the distributor violated the sanctions, the contract is terminated. Whether this happened last year, the company does not want to say. Bottom line: resale to third parties “we can’t always control or prevent.”
At the same time, journalists stress that companies must do their so-called “homework” and prevent the re-export of goods in Russia.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.