The disgraceful invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin may depend on Russia’s inability to get high-tech electrical components due to sanctions.
Having expended more weaponry than many could have predicted – including themselves – Russian troops are now more reliant on Soviet-era ammo inventories.
The Ukrainian resistance, which has resulted in major advances in recent days, has enraged Russian forces who are losing control of previously seized territory.
But Putin and his forces may soon run out of fuel. Whether or if Russia can regain access to high-tech processors may determine whether the battle escalates further.
Ukraine has warned the international community that the Kremlin has a “shopping list” of semiconductors, connections, transformers, and insulators, the majority of which are made in the United States, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany.
In previous years, Russia relied significantly on these nations, but now that sanctions are in play, it should be more difficult for them to get vital technologies.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo believes desperate Russians are turning to stealing chips from household equipment such as dishwashers and refrigerators.
Vladimir Putin’s (pictured) disgraceful invasion of Ukraine may rest on Russia’s inability to get high-tech electrical components as a result of sanctions.
Future invasions by Russia could be prevented if they are unable to access microchips. Already, Ukrainian forces are pushing back and have made notable inroads into Russian-occupied territory. Pictured: According to Ukrainian troops, Kupyansk has been liberated.
The shopping list obtained by Politico is divided into three priority categories, from most important to least important, and includes the price Russia is willing to pay.
According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the future of the war may depend on the nature of technology.
Putin disclosed an arsenal of new hypersonic weapons in 2018 during one of his most bellicose speeches in years, claiming that they could strike virtually anywhere on the globe and bypass a U.S. missile shield.
Mr. Shymyhal, though, told Politico that the Russians possess only ‘four dozen’ hypersonic missiles and had already expended ‘almost’ half of their stockpile.
He remarked of the missiles, “These are the ones with precision and accuracy thanks to the microchips they include.”
However, due to sanctions imposed on Russia, shipments of this high-tech microchip equipment have ceased, and there is no means to refill these supplies.
According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Russia’s hypersonic weapons cannot be resupplied owing to sanctions. Illustration of a Zircon hypersonic cruise missile
Concern exists, however, that China may play a crucial player in rescuing Russia if it were to purchase and resell technologies.
While the EU, US, and Japan have sanctioned Russia, China has not, and Beijing has already supplied drones and vehicles to the invading forces.
While many of Russia’s desired commodities are available online, others have been wiped away by the worldwide microprocessor scarcity.
Chips are in short supply due to a combination of high demand and a deficiency in supply.
The pandemic played a significant part in the collapse of transistors and chips, as the demand for work-from-home technologies increased and car manufacturers cancelled orders.
Despite the scarcity, Russia seeks additional fuel to continue its war effort.
AirBorn connections, which are based in the United States, are their most vitally important components, according to the list that was shown.
Microchips manufactured by a variety of businesses, including Altera, Intel, Broadcom, Holt, and Cypress, comprise a significant component of the Kremlin’s shopping list.
Less important components were capacitors, resistors, and inductors from the United States, Taiwan, portions of the European Union, and Japan.
Russia has the same global scarcity of electrical components as the rest of the world. In addition, it is prohibited from purchasing accessible chips because of sanctions. Pictured: Each gate array costs 66,815.77 rubles (£937), making it the most costly item on Russia’s shopping list. Prior to the global shortage, the price would have been closer to £18.
Intel gate arrays are the most costly item on the list, costing 66,815.77 rubles (£937) each. Prior to the global shortage, the price would have been closer to £18.
The Marvell ethernet transceiver is the least expensive at about 430.83 rubles (£6).
Researchers are concerned that the supply of goods to the Russian military is frequently unregulated, allowing them to circumvent sanctions and EU legislation designed to strictly oversee chip shipments.
If Russia can be prevented from having access to chips, it will greatly benefit Ukraine, who are currently on the offensive.
Despite the fact that the Kremlin is running low on ammo, many fear that Western countries may not be able to prevent Russia’s ‘friends’ like China from aiding them and escalating the conflict.