Tighten Export Controls To Cripple Russian Military

UK think tank Rusi has looked at the Russian military's heavy reliance on Western microchip exports and determined that tighter controls on that vital product could cripple the Russian war machine permanently. From BBC:

"Researchers for Rusi, a UK think tank, spent months in Ukraine, examining 27 of Russia's most modern military systems, either captured, brought down or abandoned by Russian troops.

They discovered at least 450 different kinds of unique, foreign-made components, most built in the US but also in other Western countries.

Products from familiar brands, like Sony and Texas Instruments, are turning up on the battlefield in Russian weapons systems. There is no suggestion those firms have been complicit in sending components to Russia.

Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at Rusi and one of the authors of the 60-page report, told the BBC there was a chance to permanently deny Russia access to these sensitive components - many of which are manufactured in the US, but also in Switzerland, the Netherlands, UK, Germany and France.

"If these components can be denied then the Russians will not be able to replenish the arsenal of equipment that they have expended in Ukraine," Dr Watling says.

He points to Russia's heavy reliance on artillery, missiles and rockets that have devastated the towns and villages of eastern Ukraine and allowed Russian ground forces to make slow, incremental advances through a shattered wasteland."  (our emphasis)

Russia's long range artillery, and ballistic and cruise missiles rely on microchips manufactured in the west for accuracy. Russia has been able to obtain this technology through back channel networks established over time, buying the products in places like Hong Kong and Malaysia. Some supplies are obtained through shell companies connected with Russia. 

According to Rusi's analysis, Russia is rushing to obtain supplies of the technology before action can be taken:

"The report's authors believe time is running out to prevent new illicit pipelines being set up that will keep Russia's military supplied with these vital components.

In order to cut off what the report calls this 'silicon lifeline' and permanently degrade Russia's ability to wage the kind of warfare it has in Ukraine, the West now has a unique window of opportunity to tighten export licence controls before it is too late.

Russia, it concludes, is scrambling to procure what it can in bulk before the net closes. 

'The time to act is now,' says the Rusi report."  (our emphasis)

Get it done.

(illustration: Reuters)