Vladimir Putin’s shameful
invasion of Ukraine could depend on Russia’s inability to access high-tech
electrical components as a result of the sanctions imposed on them.
Russian forces are now
increasingly dependent on Soviet-era ammunition stocks, having fired more
firepower than many could have expected — including themselves.
Ukraine’s backlash, which has
seen them make significant progress in recent days, has further frustrated
Russian forces, who are losing control of areas they had previously occupied.
But Putin and his men could
soon be running empty. Fueling the war further could come down to whether or
not Russia regains access to high-tech chips.
Ukraine has issued
international warnings that the Kremlin has a “shopping list” of
semiconductors, connectors, transformers, insulators and more – most of which
are made by the US, Taiwan, UK, Japan and Germany.
Russia has been heavily
dependent on these countries in recent years, but with the sanctions at play,
it shouldn’t be so easy for them to get their hands on critical technology.
According to US Commerce
Secretary Gina Raimondo, desperate Russians are even resorting to chips from
household appliances, including dishwashers and refrigerators.
Vladimir Putin’s shameful
invasion of Ukraine may be related to Russia’s inability to access high-tech
electrical components due to sanctions imposed on them.
The shopping list seen
by Politics is split into three priority categories, from most
critical to least, and even includes the price Russia is willing to pay.
