Russian companies successfully obtained spare parts for ASML's 1990s-era chipmaking machines in 2022 and 2023, despite European sanctions that prohibit selling any high-tech machinery to Russian entities, reports Reuters. These parts were sourced through Chinese proxies, according to Tweakers net, which cites a report by the Dutch newspaper Trouw, based on findings from Russian customs records.
Following Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the European Union imposed sanctions banning the sale of electronic equipment to Russia, which includes spare parts for chipmaking tools. However, Russian importers have found ways to bring in at least 170 shipments of spare parts for ASML's PAS 5500 lithography tool, mostly from Chinese suppliers, according to Trouw.
