The tough Western sanctions against Russia are having an effect: “We have received reports from Ukrainians that Russian military equipment they find in the combat zone is filled with semiconductors that they took out of dishwashers and refrigerators,” the Washington Post quoted one as saying Statement by US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
This is due to the sanctions, said the minister. US technology exports to Russia have fallen by 70 percent since the war began.
Raimondo also said that two Russian tank factories have already had to stop production due to missing components, according to reports received by the Minister of Commerce.
However, most chips are made in the US or other Western countries anyway. If these were developed for military use, they could only be exported to Russia with a special permit before the start of the war.
However, the sanctions are not the only reason why Russia has to cannibalize household appliances. Since the outbreak of the corona pandemic in 2020, there has been a large deficit in semiconductors and other electronic components worldwide.
This deficiency also poses problems for Russia when using its guided missiles. Putin’s cruise missiles need chips to find their targets on their own. According to statements by the US Department of Defense, Russia is said to have “burned” large parts of its precision-guided ammunition.
