After sanctions were put in place last year, several million Dutch microchips made in the Netherlands were sent to Russia. Delivered in packages handled by middlemen were microchips from firms like NXP and Nexperia. The most recent NOS report says that hundreds of packages were sent to three Russian defense companies.
Russian military drones of all varieties and other precision weapons, such as cruise missiles, frequently contain these chips. A small group of Chinese companies that ordered these computer chips regularly ship Dutch chips to Russia. Sinno Electronics, the largest of the companies, is not on the European Union’s sanctions list but is on the US sanctions list.
Ukraine questioned and checked out 27 Russian defense systems and tools last summer. Of the 27 systems, NXP chips were found in 10 of them. They were in Russian helicopters, howitzers, and missiles. Russian drones have been found to contain NXP and Nexperia chips.
Both businesses claimed that they complied with all sanctions regulations, avoided doing business with Russian firms, and prohibited their clients from selling microchips to Russian organizations. A representative for NXP said that the company checks out its clients and follows its own rules, which are stricter than the sanctions laws.
A Nexperia representative acknowledged that the company might not always have control over the resale of computer chips to outside parties. The business claimed that it uses software to keep an eye on the supply chain that includes their chips. Anyone who violates the restrictions will have their access to future shipments revoked.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Netherlands is very concerned about the situation and together with other EU countries is looking for effective ways to prevent such brokering.